BevNET Magazine November/December 2016 by BevNET.com

DECEMBER 1, 2016

COLD WAR

Coca-Cola and Dunkin' Take Aim at RTD Coffee

NATURAL BRANDS FIRE SHOTS

CIDER: IS THE BIG APPLE SHRINKING?

THE 2016 NEW BEVERAGE GUIDE

NOV.– DEC. 2016 M

Contents • Volume 14 • No. 8

COLUMNS

FEATURES

ON THE COVER

4 First Drop Old Allies and Allied Brands

30 Cider: Is the Big Apple Shrinking? with Regional Cideries on the Rise

34 Coffee: Coke Gets in the Game with Bulletproof Children & Coffee Brand News

6 Publisher’s Toast Blurred Lines 28 Gerry’s Insights The Drinks and the Scene

44 Shots: Natural Brands Fire Shots with Shots Brand News

DEPARTMENTS

SHOW REVIEWS

8 BevScape Marley Gets New Life; So Does Nawgan

50 Expo East, NACS, NBWA and GABF Now that’s a Wrap(UP)

16 New Products Bai Goes Black 24 Channel Check Craft Beer Slows at the Top

DECEMBER 1, 2016

SPECIAL SECTION

COLD WAR

Coca-Cola and Dunkin' Take Aim at RTD Coffee

NATURAL BRANDS FIRE SHOTS

CIDER: IS THE BIG APPLE SHRINKING?

cover.indd 1

THE 2016 NEW BEVERAGE GUIDE

11/22/16 4:29 PM

53 BevNET’s New Beverage Guide

78 Promo Parade Moonhine Sweet Tea Makes a Wish

BevNET Magazine (ISSN 2165-6061, USPS 24-552) is published bi-monthly except monthly in March, June, September, and October by BevNET.com, Inc. 44 Pleasant Street, Suite 110, Watertown, MA 02472. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to BevNET Magazine, Subscriber Services, 44 Pleasant Street, Suite 110, Watertown, MA 02472

The First Drop

Old Allies and Allied Brands

By Jeffrey Klineman

It wasn’t a very special reunion episode, but given the number of special guest appearances, it was pretty much Old Home Week at the Dr Pepper Snapple booth at NACS. Between the teams at High Brew, CORE, and Body Armor all hanging around, along with visits from other DPSG allied brands like Vita Coco and Bai, it was pretty easy to see the impact that a strong team can have on the growth of the industry. In this case, it was the team from Glaceau, the deal now almost a decade in the rear-view but still developing vital brands. From the sales teams, here was Andy Steele, channel opener extraordinaire, running the East at High Brew after a profitable detour into the world of jerky. There was Andrew Griffiths, sporting a CORE shirt after helping to build Zico with Mark Rampolla. Strategist Jason Camillos was also back in a brand polo after spending the last few years working in private equity with First Beverage Group. On the marketing side, Mari Johnson was back in the fray, as CMO at High Brew. “It’s an incredibly proud feeling,” said Mike Repole, the former president of Glaceau and the legendarily maniacal general behind the sales team that put it over the top. “You walk around, there are something like 150 different vice presidents and brand founders and more,” that came from Glaceau. To back it up, Camillos produced a chart from a “Glaceau alumni” Facebook page. It’s a chart with the combined income of, say, the Netherlands. From barkTHINS to Zipcar, hese folks aren’t doing poorly at all. They may have migrated far and wide, but there were so many Glaceau alums and associates with those three DPSG affiliates that NACS brought a family feel – if the family generally spent its time talking to buyers from Sheetz or WaWa. Sales execs compared notes about everything from their shoe colors to the beer preferences of different regional buyers. Investors and distributors stopped by – Ken Sadowsky, standing taller than most, threw high-fives and handshakes. Having made a name – to go with a nickname – in

the coconut water business, Michael Goldstein – “Goldy” – stopped by, a coterie of Vita Coco associates in tow. Lance Collins, the genius behind FUZE who also came up with the ideas for both CORE and Body Armor, entertained buyers and old associates with frantic energy, his two new platforms spreading their wings and starting to catch air underneath them. But at the center, making a rare show appearance to usher in some of the latest Body Armor innovations, was Repole himself. Repole is all in on Body Armor these days – he’s shut down most of the other CPG and restaurant gigs in his portfolio – although the horse racing game continues to compete for his attention. Meeting with a reporter for a chat, he couldn’t help smiling through his game face and spreading the family vibe. “You doubted me, didn’t you,” he teased. “You didn’t think we could do it.”

floor, probiotic segment innovator KeVita was close to selling to Pepsi. Hanging even thicker in the air was speculation about the potential purchase of Bai, another DPSG allied brands stablemate, and one with deep connections to Glaceau, having pulled investment from former CMO Rohan Oza. Some brands were further along than others. Who knows what innovation or promotional plays will ultimately prove too hard to pull off, whether the consumer might eventually move on when promotions end or the trend winds shift? But for now, there they were: slick brands moving the industry forward, carried on the backs – and in the sales binders – of a well-trained set of enthusiastic, backslapping old friends and competitors. Soon they would leave, to compete for space in the all-important cold box. But just then, even seven floors down in the bunker that’s known as the Georgia

The reporter dissembled, saying he had been one of the first to declare that Body Armor – an idea that took root with Collins but is now being run by Repole – had turned the corner from a shaky debut. In the the background hung the possibility that other brands might soon be the focus of attention. Elsewhere on the

World Congress Center, the cold box was nowhere in sight. Instead, there was just a warm reception for an old championship team, back together to sip drinks at a reunion. Convenience stores might not be your conventional family destination, but at this convenience store convention, there sure seemed to be a whole lot of family.

4 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

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Publisher’s Toast

Blurred Lines

By Barry Nathanson

MAGAZINE www.bevnet.com/magazine Barry J. Nathanson PUBLISHER bnathanson@bevnet.com

Jeffrey Klineman EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I must admit, as I sit here by my keyboard, I’m blurry and bleary after last night’s election. While I am shocked and saddened by the results, our democracy has spoken. My hope is that Trump rises to the occasion and leads our country to a prosperous future. I have been blurry over the past month after this fall’s frenetic pace of shows and events. For all of our BevNET team, fanning out across the country, it has been a season of connecting with our various marketplaces, taking pulse, and assessing their growth. The exchanges have been mostly positive and there is great optimism heading into 2017. In addition, our own roster of

couldn’t be more different, as reflected in the distinctly different products offered. The contrast was obvious. Today, it’s a different feel. Walking each show, it’s hard to determine one from the other. First, the duplication of exhibitors was tremendous. I would venture to guess that over 60 brands were at both events. As there were about 150 beverage brands represented at each show, having over 40 percent decide that they needed to reach both audiences spoke volumes. I was struck by how many retailers I saw at Expo East that were also at NACS. But these days, they could justify the time and expense of attending both.

jklineman@bevnet.com

Ray Latif MANAGING EDITOR rlatif@bevnet.com

Martín Caballero SENIOR REPORTER mcaballero@bevnet.com

Jon Landis STAFF WRITER jlandis@bevnet.com

Chris Furnari BREWBOUND EDITOR cfurnari@bevnet.com

Carol Ortenberg PROJECT NOSH EDITOR cortenberg@bevnet.com

SALES John McKenna DIRECTOR OF SALES jmckenna@bevnet.com

Adam Stern SENIOR ACCOUNT SPECIALIST astern@bevnet.com

John Fischer ACCOUNT SPECIALIST jfischer@bevnet.com

Cory Baker SALES & MARKETING ADMIN cbaker@bevnet.com

ART & PRODUCTION Matthew Kennedy CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Willette SENIOR DESIGNER BEVNET.COM, INC. John F. (Jack) Craven CHAIRMAN jfcraven@bevnet.com

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gatherings, including BevNET Live, Brewbound, and Project NOSH have grown exponentially, achieving great excitement, drawing strong attendance, and taking time to serve the industry. We’re riding a wave of a terrific time for CPG across the spectrum. I just want to touch upon the two major events that I hit recently. The Expo East show in Baltimore and the NACS show in Atlanta filled my dance cards. Over the years, each show had its own unique proposition and appropriate exhibitors for their audiences. The Natural/ Healthy/Organic slant of Expo East was always a sharp contrast to the rough and tumble free- for-all product mix that signified the convenience arena. The attendees of the two shows also

The product mixes, once so skewed to each format, are mostly leaning towards the healthy, natural direction. Along with a broadening of the consumer profile have come changes to their tastes and purchasing habits. Beer and soda still are the dominant sellers, but the “other” has taken on a life of its own in the stores. Stores in the Expo East world have also expanded their offerings to more common staples, and it’s working. Yes, they’re healthy and natural, but greater variety brings in a new customer. Now, everybody wins. If the Expo East and NACS arenas can co-exist and thrive, then hopefully our divided country can follow suit. I look forward to better times ahead.

6 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

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Bevscape The latest news on the brands you sell

INNOVATION 1 La Colombe Partners Up Snap Kitchen, a fast-growing retail chain that sells healthy grab-andgo meals, snacks and beverages, has partnered with super-premium coffee company La Colombe to launch a co-branded line of bottled coffees. Snap Kitchen operates 49 locations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, Chicago and Philadelphia and the new products, both made with La Colombe’s “cold-pressed” coffee, are sold in all of its stores. Launched in 2010, Snap Kitchen promotes itself as a “onestop healthy meal shop” that sells fresh, chef-made, nutrient-dense and portion-controlled meals, most under 500 calories. Headquartered in Austin, Snap operates as a hub-and-spoke business, producing its meals, juices and coffee at production facilities

in cities where it operates. The food and beverages are delivered daily to area locations.

INNOVATION 2

CELEBRINVESTMENT

Zevia Refines Sweetener

Timberlake Joins Bai

Zevia has announced a breakthrough in ongoing efforts to improve its sweetener mix and use of stevia, the high-intensity, plant-based sweetener, the brand’s line of zero-calorie beverages. Recently, Zevia unveiled a new NonGMO Project Verified stevia blend, made exclusively from the stevia plant. The formula will be implemented in all 14 flavors of Zevia Soda, four flavors of Zevia Sparkling Water, three flavors of Zevia Energy, two flavors of Zevia Celebrations and Zevia Tonic Water.

Bai has announced that singer and actor Justin Timberlake has joined the company as both an investor and as its first “Chief Flavor Officer.” “I’ve been a fan of Bai for a long time and when I met Ben and his team, it became clear that I should be involved with this brand,” said Timberlake in a press release. “As a father and someone who is cautious about what my family and I consume, I love what Bai stands for. This partnership was created from a shared desire to help people put better ingredients in their bodies without sacrificing taste.” “As an actor, businessman and a father, Justin embodies the core values of Bai,” said Ben Weiss, CEO and Founder of Bai, in a press release. “We are thrilled to have Justin join us in our mission to change the way the world drinks.” Speaking with BevNET at the NACS 2016 show in Atlanta, Alana Radmin, Vice President of Communications for Bai, said the partnership came together over several months, after Timberlake, a multiple Grammy winner, met Weiss through a mutual friend who is also an investor. Radmin added that Timberlake, 35, represents Bai’s core demographic of older millennials. “Justin is a consumer and a fan of Bai, he’s part of our core demographic, and he’s one of the most creative people in entertainment,” said Radmin. Radmin said Timberlake would be involved in several areas of the brand, including flavor innovation, marketing campaigns and digital content. She said Timberlake had visited the company’s headquarters and is involved in Bai’s “internal culture.” The news came amid reports that Bai was exploring a sale of the company valued at $2 billion.

According to CEO Paddy Spence, this latest development is simply the next step in the company’s “intense improvement path” for the sweetener. As of 2013, Zevia has been using a stevia blend based primarily on the compound Rebaudioside A, with natural sweeteners erythritol and monkfruit added to balance the intense flavor. Spence explained that by focusing on other sweetening compounds present within the stevia leaf, the company could create a purer Reb A formula using steviol glycosides and no additional ingredients. “What’s great is we are a tiny company compared to Coke and Pepsi but we put a similar amount of focus and resources into research around the stevia leaf,” said Spence.

8 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Bevscape DEALTIME 1 Marley’s New Partner Denver-based distribution heavyweight New Age Beverage Corporation has announced a merger of business operations with Marley Beverage Company, which markets Mellow Mood relaxation drinks and One Drop RTD coffees. The products were developed in partnership with the family of legendary reggae singer Bob Marley, whose likeness is emblazoned on labels. “We are happy to announce that this week we have formed a partnership with the Marley Beverage Company whereby New Age Beverages will be integrating the Sales, Marketing, and Distribution associates of Marley into our Company, and we will be leading the commercial activities of the combined operations,” said New Age CEO Brent Willis in a letter addressed to retail and distribution partners. “Although

entrance into the RTD coffee segment. Willis described expanding distribution in key existing accounts and opening new regions, including internationally, as priorities for the Marley brand. He added that the merging of the two companies’ sales forces would provide the muscle to make that possible. “We’ve got a lot of marketing and brand activities to build the business,” Willis said. “We have the scale and resources to be able to do it, unlike Marley did on their own. We think that those brands have a lot of untapped potential.” The merger with Marley Beverage Company follows a deal that took place in March between New Age and Bucha, a brand of kombucha drinks owned by Willis. Bucha paid $20 million in cash and stock in a merger with natural tea

acquisition by New Age of the Marley Beverage Company in the future. “We’re just getting to know each other, and we like each other,” he said. “You never know for the future. We think this is the right structure for the companies for now.” Willis also confirmed the partnership would not affect Marley Beverage Company’s existing licensing agreement with the Bob Marley estate for use of the singer’s name and likeness. This is significant as, in August, Colorado-based coffee roaster Jammin’ Java filed suit against Marley Coffee and its former chairman Rohan Marley, son of Bob Marley, for ending the company’s 15-year licensing agreement with the Marley estate that began in 2007. Marley Coffee is a separate entity from Marley Beverage Company.

the two companies will remain separate legal entities, going forward our companies will have one face to our retailer and distribution partners.” Speaking with BevNET, Willis explained that the combination of his company’s sales and marketing resources along with consumers’ strong identification with Bob Marley as a public figure made the partnership an ideal opportunity for New Age to make its long-planned

brand Xing, owned by New Age founders Tom and Scott Lebon. Under the agreement, Willis was installed as CEO of the combined entity, with Tom Lebon remaining head of sales for Xing and Scott Lebon running brand operations. Along with the new additions of One Drop and Mellow Mood, New Age’s portfolio includes XingTea, Bucha and Aspen Pure bottled water. Willis did not rule out an outright

Looking further ahead, Willis hinted at future plans for the Marley brand, “We think that the Marley brand has more breadth to it, and we’re already thinking about new product development and the evolution of the Marley portfolio,” he said. “There’s a pretty good presence already just on beverages. We’ve already started talking about what other new products or beverages we might be able to add to the portfolio beyond new flavors.”

10 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

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Bevscape DEALTIME 2 Brooklyn Brewery Sells Stake Brooklyn Brewery revealed in October that it had struck a two-pronged deal with Japan’s Kirin Brewery that would include the sale of a minority stake and the establishment of a new joint venture in Japan. As part of the two companies’ capital partnership, the Japanese beer company will acquire “an approximately 24.5 percent stake” in Brooklyn Brewery. Specific financial terms of the sale were not disclosed, but Nikkei Asian Review, citing sources close to the transaction, valued it at “several billion yen.” The deal will also include the founding of a new joint venture in Japan, which Kirin said would launch in January. Brooklyn Brewery will control 40 percent of that company. Additionally, the two companies plan to “consider the development of original products for the Japan market and the launch of a restaurant business,” accord-

ing to the release. Kirin will also help Brooklyn expand distribution into Brazil. Brooklyn’s minority sale to Kirin is one of the higher-profile craft beer deals in 2016. Other notable transactions this year include Victory Brewing’s sale to Ulysses Management-backed Artisanal Brewing Ventures, Cigar City Brewing’s sale to Fireman Capital Partners-backed Oskar Blues Holding company, Devils Backbone’s sale to AnheuserBusch InBev, a trio of small craft brewery purchases by MillerCoors and VMG Partners’ $90 million investment into a limited partnership called “VMG Stone Brewing Coinvestment.” In 2015, Kirin Brewery posted sales of approximately $3.97 billion, according to public financial statements. Through the first six months of 2016, however, sales have declined more than 12 percent, to $1.76 billion.

Selling less than 25 percent to Kirin — Japan’s second-largest beer maker — means that Brooklyn, which last year produced 277,000 barrels and was ranked by the Brewers Association as the 12th largest U.S. craft brewery, will be able to remain an independent craft brewery in the eyes of the trade organization. The BA only recognizes beer companies that are less than 25 percent owned or controlled by “an alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer” as “independent.” In a posting to his company’s website, Brooklyn Brewery president Robin Ottaway pointed to the BA definition and said his number one goal when negotiating a deal was to remain independently owned and operated. “Let me be entirely clear – Eric [Ottaway] and I will continue to control and operate the Brooklyn Brewery for many years to come,” Robin Ottaway wrote. First Beverage Group acted as the financial advisor to Brooklyn Brewery and Nomura Holdings Inc. advised Kirin.

LEGAL Barefoot Bucha Owner Settles Lawsuit With Gallo, Agrees to Change Brand Name Conscious Cultures, the maker of Barefoot Bucha, a Virginia-based kombucha brand, has agreed to settle a trademark infringement lawsuit filed against the company by Barefoot Wine owner E. & J. Gallo. Conscious Cultures issued a press release stating that founders Ethan and Kate Zuckerman have not admitting to any wrongdoing, but agreed to change the name of Barefoot Bucha. In 2015 Gallo filed a notice of opposition with the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board (TTAB) seeking to block Conscious Cultures’ trademark application for Barefoot Bucha. Gallo described the kombucha brand’s name and logo as “confusingly similar in appearance, sound and meaning” to those of Barefoot

Wine. In the following months, the two sides engaged in litigation and sought a resolution determined by the TTAB. However, things changed in April, when Gallo decided to sue Conscious Cultures in federal court. “The lawsuit… alleging trademark infringement asking for monetary damages, that’s a very, very different kind of scenario you’re looking at as a small business,” Kate Zuckerman told BevNET. “Looking at it as small business owners, the time and energy expenditure, not to mention financial, we realized we were out of our league going through a federal trademark trial process which is very different from that from the TTAB.” In an emailed statement to BevNET, a

12 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Gallo spokesperson said that the company is “pleased that Conscious Cultures and E. & J. Gallo Winery have reached a mutually agreeable resolution.” Complete details of the settlement were not disclosed by either company, however, Zuckerman said that Conscious Cultures has a goal of completing the rebrand by the beginning of next year. Although she said that “it’s hard to let go” of the Barefoot Bucha name, Zuckerman is excited about plans to crowdsource a new name, logo art and tagline for the brand. The company launched a contest to rename Barefoot Bucha. The winner will receive a year’s worth of kombucha, supplied by Conscious Cultures in a partnership with Whole Foods Market.

EXPORT Wow! Coming Overseas Next Year The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group which offers investment, advisory and asset management services to encourage private sector growth in developing countries, has announced a $40 million investment in Brazilian healthy food and beverage brand WOW! Nutrition. As a result of the investment, WOW! Nutrition should be able to increase its pipeline of products into the U.S., according to company advisor Bill Sipper, the Managing Partner at Cascadia Managing Brands, which has worked with WOW! since 2014. “We will bring in maybe 50 SKUs in January,” said Sipper, citing coffees, exotic juices and a popular diet chocolate milk drink as potential imports from WOW!’s portfolio. “Everything they do is just a little different, from the packaging to the taste profile.” The investment comes in two parts: a $25 million equity investment, and a $15 million five-year loan. According to a press release, the funds will allow for the expansion of production lines, improvements in operational processes and a strengthening of WOW!’s capital structure.

sector, which has a great potential for creating jobs and expanding access to quality food products in Brazil. WOW! Nutrition’s expected growth will create additional jobs and increase the demand for agricultural products from its supply chain.” Sipper said New Jersey-based Cascadia has developed and executed marketing, operations, logistics and finance for WOW! in the U.S. since 2014. He told BevNET that Cascadia has been studying the market for WOW! products in the U.S. for over two years, and that IFC’s investment in the company will have a significant impact on the domestic market, particularly in growing distribution. WOW! Nutrition first entered the U.S. market in March with Feel Good, a zero-calorie iced tea available in six SKUs. The brand is distributed in 800 stores in the New York City area through a partnership with Drink King, with plans to expand to New England and Los Angeles. Sipper noted that while Cascadia would be bringing in products that have proved highly successful in Brazil, they

Sao Paolo-based WOW! Nutrition, part of the Grupo Brasfanta portfolio, was founded in 1999 and is Brazil’s third largest beverage manufacturer. The company manufactures and distributes brands such as Sufresh, Soyos, Assugrin and Gold. IFC has invested $260 million in the agribusiness and food sectors in Brazil during the last four years. The company’s global portfolio for agribusiness in the fiscal year 2016 totaled $4.9 billion, with funds directed towards increasing production liquidity, improving logistics and expanding access to credit for small farmers. In a press release, Luiz Daniel de Campos, Principal Investment Officer for Agribusiness for IFC Brazil, said: “This investment is aligned with IFC’s strategy for the food and agribusiness

would be adapted to better fit U.S. consumer preferences. Feel Good, for example, uses a different formula and redesigned label for the U.S. version. “In Brazil, nobody cares about artificial vs. natural flavors,” said Sipper. “In the U.S., that’s very important, so we switched the formula for this market. It’s amazing that a big company would use different ingredients just for a different market.” One Equity Partners, the former proprietary investment arm of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., purchased a minority position in WOW! in 2012. Sipper noted that although One Equity Partners has since split with J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., they retain their investment in WOW!

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Bevscape PEOPLE MOVES Beverage industry veteran Jason Camillos has left First Beverage Ventures to join BA Sports Nutrition, LLC, makers of BodyArmor, as Vice President of Strategy and Planning. The move serves a reunion for Camillos and BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole. They worked closely together for five years at vitaminwater, where Camillos was VP of Corporate Development and Repole was President and co-founder. “I’m here to help the guys get to the next level,” Camillos told BevNET about the move. “The brand is in a great place and performing really well, and with that things are starting to move a lot faster.” Camillos had served as Managing Director at First Beverage Ventures, the private equity division of First Beverage Group, since 2013. In that position, he worked with Nantucket Nectars founder Tom First, who also departed the investment firm earlier this year. Camillos had also worked with First at Nantucket Nectars. Ryan Ziegelmann is the new General Manager for Starbucks-owned cold pressed juice brand Evolution Fresh. Ziegelmann, who was named GM in May, has been with Starbucks since 2010, where he started as VP of Finance, Global Marketing, Category and Strategic Pricing. From 2012, he served as Vice President of Finance and Strategic Pricing for the Starbucks Global Channel Development segment, as well as region lead for Latin America CPG. Prior to joining Starbucks, Ziegelmann worked as Vice President of Sales Finance at WhiteWave

Foods and a Sales Director at PepsiCo. A graduate of Colorado State University, Ziegelmann took over the reins for Evolution Fresh following the departure of president Jeff Hansberry in February. Thomas Hicks has departed the Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB) unit of The Coca-Cola Company. Hicks, who was a senior vice president at fruit juice and soda brand Hansen’s Natural, joined VEB in June, 2015 following Coca-Cola’s acquisition of a 16.7 percent stake in Monster Beverage Corporation. CocaCola agreed at the time to absorb Monster’s non-energy drink portfolio as part of the deal. After 13 years at one of the country’s highest-profile craft breweries, Dogfish Head CEO Nick Benz will depart the organization at the end of the year. Brewery founder and chairman Sam Calagione will take over as CEO following Benz’s departure and, unlike other U.S. breweries that have recently gone through their own executive transitions, Dogfish Head will not look outside of the organization for a new CEO. Instead, the company has tapped a headhunting firm that will begin searching for a new president this week, Calagione told Brewbound. “We are looking for someone who can be an awesome thought leader,” Calagione said. Benz, who was named CEO just two years ago and previously served as the company’s COO and CFO, plans to spend more time with his family and travel throughout Belgium, Calagione said. He will also continue to consult with the

14 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

company on a part-time basis in 2017, Calagione added. Lance Dermeik has come aboard as Mamma Chia’s new vice president of operations. Dermeik joins Mamma Chia after eight years at Hain Celestial as director of contract manufacturing, where he oversaw operations on more than 40 contract manufacturers and 15 natural and organic brands. Prior to his tenure at Hain Celestial, Dermeik spent seven years as director of supply chain operations at Monster Beverage Corporation. Meanwhile, former EVP of sales Matt Buckley has left Mamma Chia to join Caveman Foods, a marketer of “paleoinspired” snack bars and jerky, as the company’s EVP of sales. Organic cold-pressed juice company V+V Apothicaire announced Nick Mysore as its President/CEO. Mysore’s experience in the food and beverage industry includes senior leadership positions Dean Foods and ConAgra. Nestlé Waters North America Elevated Antonio Sciuto Executive Vice President – Brands. Along with the new role, Sciuto retains his position as CMO. ROAR Beverages has announced the hire of Lawrence “JB” Woodworth as general manager and national sales director. Woodworth joins the upstart sports drink brand from the spirits industry, having most recently served as regional sales manager at Edrington. Bryan Crowley, the former president and COO of VeeV Spirits, has joined KeVita as the company’s chief strategy

officer. As indicated on his LinkedIn account, Crowley, who led VeeV through its sale to Luxco Imports earlier this year, has come aboard “to head business strategy, human resources, product development and innovation for KeVita.” Bottled chai and tea maker Bhakti recently hired Sarah Bird as CEO. A longtime veteran of the food and beverage industry, Bird takes the reins from Bhakti founder Brook Eddy, who now serves as chairwoman of the company’s board of directors. Eddy remains “involved in the vision, innovation and culture” of Bhakti, according to the company. Bird joined Bhakti after yearlong stints as chief sales and marketing officer at Three Twins Organic Ice Cream and chief commercial officer of Ecologic Brands, a manufacturer of paper-based bottles. In the 15 years prior, Bird was an executive with natural and organic foods marketer Annie’s Homegrown. Eddie Pearson, a former executive with Boylan Bottling Co. and Reed’s, has joined guayusa beverage company Runa. Pearson, who has also held managerial roles with the Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo, comes to Runa after 2+ years at Boylan, where he was the company’s vice president of sales. Bai Brands hired Michael J. Pengue as the company’s first chief strategy officer. Pengue has over 30 years’ experience in the consumer packaged goods space, half of which he spent with Nestlé Waters North America. He eventually became president of the company’s Business Units division.

NEW LIFE Nawgan to Rebrand as INVIA Now under new management, Nawgan, a functional brain health beverage, is being launched as a new brand, INVIA. The rebranding of Nawgan, launched in 2009 by neuropsychologist Dr. Robert Paul, follows the acquisition of the company’s rights to market and sell the brand in December 2015 by Memory Sciences, a recently launched health and wellness venture from Eric Nelson and Chris Rebholz. Nelson and Rebholz own and operate a handful of businesses in Milwaukee, Wisc. ranging from fulfillment distribution to long-form direct response media, both of which will play an integral part in the relaunch and new iteration of the Nawgan brand. Paul remains involved with the brand as its founder. In a call with BevNET, Nelson said the launch of Invia will be backed by a robust advertising campaign centered around a long form television infomercial to educate the consumer on the benefits of product. The revamp was led by San Francisco-based branding and packaging design agency McLean Design. “There’s been a rise in products focusing on mental performance and we believe we’re in a strong position to define a category that’s not yet been defined,” said Nelson. “This is a product backed by solid, sound science and we want to make sure consumers are educated on the amazing ingredients in it.” Whereas Nawgan was a supplement packaged as a ready-todrink beverage, INVIA will transition the formula into a powdered stick format, a move Dr. Paul said will extend its use occasions. “Portability for a functional product like this is very important,” said Paul. “When I’m traveling for work and I want to bring this product with me and function at my optimal level, it’s not as convenient to do that when carrying around 12 oz. cans.” Other factors at play in the change in format reflect INVIA’s pivot to becoming a product with a focus on direct-to-consumer and e-commerce sales strategy rather than at retail (Nawgan has a presence in Vitamin Shoppe stores), shipping powders is considerably more cost efficient than shipping liquid. “We’re taking what we’ve known to be a really powerful product and concept and marrying that with the most effective way to bring the product to market,” Paul added. “It’s now best in class, not only in ingredients, but in brand name, image, and personality, with a world class team to execute behind it.” Whereas Nawgan had a collegiate consumer base and sat on shelves next to energy drinks, Invia will shift its target demographic to the “25-35-year-old busy, professionally-oriented adult.” It’s a shift, Paul says, that’s in line with consumers’ evolution from the energy category. “We’ve been anticipating for quite some time that the energy market was going to evolve and mature and we believe that’s what’s been fueling the momentum and excitement of the brain space and mental performance supplement category,” Paul added.

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BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

New Products The newest options for cooler and shelf

varieties – guayusa, matcha and yerba mate – and each is sweetened with organic maple syrup. The products contain 45-50 calories per 14 oz. bottle, depending on variety. The caffeine in each is communicated via an “energy meter” on the bottle. The drinks have a suggested retail price of $2.99 and are available at Whole Foods Market in the Northeast and local retailers in the New York TriState area. For more information, please call Hain Celestial at (516) 587-5000.

CSD Bai Brands has introduced Bai Black, a line of carbonated beverages with traditional soda flavors. As with all Bai products, Bai Black is infused with antioxidants from the coffeefruit and sweetened with stevia. The line comes in five varieties: Kohala Kola, Simbu Citrus, Rioja Root Beer, Jambi Ginger Ale and Colombia Cream. Each 11.5 oz. can has five calories, zero grams of sugar and no artificial sweeteners. The drinks are non-GMO certified, gluten-free, Kosher, vegan and soy-free. They contain approximately the same amount of caffeine as a cup of green tea. Bai Black will be available nationwide in January for a suggested retail price of $1.99. For more information, please call Bai at (609) 586-0500. Talking Rain Beverage Company has added a new Grape Raspberry to its Sparkling Ice line of carbonated beverages. The sixteenth flavor in the line, the new variety was developed in direct response to consumer demand, according to the company. It is available in Kroger stores and will be distributed to retailers nationwide starting in January. The drink is packaged in 17 oz. bottles and has a suggested retail price of $1.19-1.29. For more information, please call Talking Rain at (425) 222-7786. Sipp Eco Beverage Co. has added a new flavor to its line of craft sodas. Sipp’s Ruby Rose variety is a combination of organic grapefruit, honey, and rosemary extracts. It has a refreshing, tangy kick from the grapefruit, with slightly sweet hints of honey, and a fragrant finish of rosemary, according to the company. Like all Sipp beverages, the soda is USDA certified organic and packaged in a 12 oz. glass bottle. The product is distributed nationally and retails for $1.99-2.29. For more information, please call Sipp at (484) 467-7108.

Energy Drinks Hain Celestial has extended its BluePrint brand with a new line of tea-infused energy drinks. The three-SKU line is designed to provide a “dual energy” source from caffeine and superfood ingredients, according to Hain. The drinks come in three 16 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Water Don Sebastiani & Sons has launched its first nonalcoholic beverage, AQUA, an organic, flavored sparkling water brand. Sweetened with a blend of sugar and erythritol, the drinks contain 20 calories per 12 oz. bottle and are infused with 45mg of organic caffeine. AQUA is available in three varieties: Java, Kola and Mocha. They are distributed in Sonoma, Calif. And have a suggested retail price of $2.49 per bottle. For more information, please call Don Sebastiani & Sons at (707) 933-1704.

Dairy Beverages Dairy producer Shamrock Farms has introduced a new line of beverages that combine coffee with milk. The company’s Cold Brew Coffee and Milk is made with 100 percent Colombian coffee beans that are ground and steeped in cold water for more than 10 hours and blended with Shamrock Farms’ milk and cane sugar. Packaged in 12 oz. plastic bottles, the drinks are available in Original, Mocha and Vanilla varieties. They are distributed in Arizona at QuikTrip, Albertsons, Safeway, Bashas’, Sprouts and major university campus stores and have a suggested retail price of $3.49. For more information, please call Shamrock Farms at (602) 272-6721.

Plant-Based Waters Happy Tree Maple Water has extended its line of high pressure processed, organic maple waters with a new pomegranate variety. The product is distributed nationally through UNFI and available in several national and regional retailers throughout the country, including select Kroger banners and Giant Eagle. The new flavor joins the company’s Original, Lemon and Ginger varieties, all of which are packaged in 12 oz. plastic bottles and retail for $3.99. For more information, please call Happy Tree at (203) 997-9309. Treo is a new brand of organic, fruit-infused birch tree waters. The drinks are made with water from

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Coffee Califia Farms has launched Black Label Cold Brew Coffees. The new line of ready-to-drink coffees are made with a light Scandinavian-style roast profile and come in three varieties: Black Mocha, Signature Blend and Single Origin. Packaged in custom 10.5 oz. amber glass bottles with screw caps, the products retail for $3.99. Like all Califia Farms products they are vegan, dairy-free, GMO-free, soy-free and carrageenan-free. The new coffees are available in select Whole Foods Markets and at over 500 Target stores nationwide. For more information, please call Califia Farms at (213) 694-4667. Bramo Coffee, a maker of certified organic and fair trade cold brew coffee, has launched a line of ready-to-drink coffees packaged in 12 oz. widemouth aluminum bottles. The line comes in three varieties: Original Black, Whole Bean Vanilla, and Raw

18 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Cacao. The coffees are sugar-free and contain no preservatives. A 6-pack retails for $23.99. For more information, please call Bramo at (401) 232-1230.

Juice Daily Greens, a producer of organic, cold-pressed and high pressure processed green juices, has introduced a lemonade-focused Green Ade line. Expanding upon its Green Lemonade variety, the new line includes Watermelon-Hibiscus Ade, Lime-Basil Ade, Jicama-Blue Majik Ade, and Orange-Turmeric Ade. The products are formulated with nutrientdense ingredients, including chlorella and spirulina. They are packaged in 12 oz. bottles and contain 20-40 calories and 0-7 grams of sugar, depending on variety. Daily Greens also added three Just Veggies flavors to its core line-up of cold-pressed green juices. Just Greens, Just Carrots, and Just Beets will complement the current lineup, but differentiate themselves as “Just” veggie options, with no fruit added. As with all Daily Greens products, the new beverages are USDA-Certified Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, and Kosher certified. For more information, please call Daily Greens at (512) 524-1508. Tropicana Essentials Probiotics is a new line of 100 percent juices, each made with one billion live and active cultures per 8 oz. serving. The line comes in in three flavor varieties: Strawberry Banana, Pineapple Mango and Peach Passion Fruit. The juices also contain more than the recommended daily value of Vitamin C and have no added sugar, preservatives or artificial flavors. The products are available in 10 oz. and 32 oz. plastic bottles and are available in the refrigerated juice section at select retailers. The 10 oz. size retails for $1.69 and the 32 oz. size sells for $3.49 For more information, please call PepsiCo at (914) 253-2000. Bolthouse Farms has extended its 1915 line of organic and cold-pressed juices with two smoothie products. The Smoothie line is available in Pear and Mango varieties, each of which is USDA certified organic and made with non-GMO ingredients. The Pear variety contains pear with spinach, coconut water, mango, and banana. The Mango product blends mango with coconut water, peach, orange, and banana. Like other 1915 juices, they contain no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. Packaged in distinctive 12 oz. plastic bottles, the products have a suggested retail price of $3.99 and are available nationwide. For more information, please call Campbell Soup Company at (856) 342-4800.

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New Products Kombucha

Whiskey

KeVita, a maker of fermented probiotic and kombucha beverages, has launched three new varieties of its Master Brew Kombucha. Like KeVita’s other kombucha drinks, the new Dragonfruit Lemongrass, Mango Habanero, and Citrus varieties are made with organic caffeine and fermented kombucha as well as green and black tea. Each 15.2 oz. bottle contains over 4 billion colony forming units of live probiotics and 35 calories per 8 oz. serving. The products are available nationwide and retail for $2.99-3.49. For more information, please call KeVita at (888) 310-6106.

Deschutes Brewery and Bendistillery have launched Black Butte Whiskey. Created over the past three years, this malt whiskey was double distilled from the wash of Deschutes Brewery’s flagship beer, Black Butte Porter. The whiskey was aged in new #4 char American oak barrels. The resulting whiskey retains the malty, chocolatey notes of Black Butte Porter while gaining woody, earthy flavors from the oak, according to the distillers. It is available at Bendistillery and Oregon liquor stores. The spirit has a suggested retail price of $79.99. For more information, please call Bendistillery at (541) 318-0200.

Progressive Adult Beverages

Glenfiddich has launched its Glenfiddich Experimental Series, a new range of single malts that creating in collaboration with individuals beyond the world of whisky, in the U.S. The first release from the series, the Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish, is the world’s first single malt Scotch whisky finished in IPA craft beer casks, according to the distillery. Glenfiddich worked with a local Speyside craft brewer to design and create a new IPA craft beer that would go into whisky casks, which would later be used to finish the first variant. The experimental process involved creating three separate brews of different strengths and levels of hops. The IPA was filled in up to nine American oak casks at a time, varying the time the beer spent imparting character into the oak casks, before filling the casks back up with whisky to assess the flavor profiles. The whisky is available nationally at luxury whisky retail stores and premium bars and hotels and has a suggested retail price of $69.99. For more information, please call William Grant & Sons at (212) 246-1760.

Truly Spiked & Sparkling has added a new Sicilian Blood Orange variety to its line of alcoholic sparkling waters. The new product joins Truly Spiked & Sparkling’s original three styles (Colima Lime, Grapefruit & Pomelo, and Pomegranate). The products are all naturally gluten-free, contain 100 calories, one gram of sugar and 5 percent ABV per 12 oz. bottle. The drinks are available nationally in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles for a suggested retail price of $9.99-10.99. For more information, please call Boston Beer Company at (617) 368-5111.

Wine Apothic Inferno is a small-batch, limited release red blend wine. Aged in charred, white oak whiskey barrels for 60 days, the wine melds flavors of red and dark fruit with layers of maple and spice. It is 15.9 percent ABV and sold nationwide for a suggested retail price of $16.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call E. & J. Gallo Winery at (781) 213-5050. Seghesio Family Vineyards has launched a new red wine blend called Defiant. Debuting with the 2015 vintage, Defiant is a distinctive, full-bodied red blend led by Zinfandel from estate-farmed vineyards. Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante, Barbera, and Syrah round out the blend. The result is dark, savory and bold, exhibiting youthful blackberry, mocha and spicy aromas followed by flavors of black fruits, pepper and savory notes on the palate, according to the winery. The wine is available nationwide at select restaurants and retailers across the country and has a suggested retail price of $38. For more information, please call Seghesio at (707) 433-3579. 20 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Limestone Branch Distillery has introduced the 2016 edition of Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This year’s limited edition combines two extra-aged rye mashed bourbons – a stately 12-year and a bold 7-year – hand-selected and finished for several months in new toasted wine barrels. Bottled at 101 proof and available in 750 mL bottles, the whiskey offers a taste profile of spiced oak, roasted coffee with creamy notes of vanilla, rich chocolate and fresh berries, and a smoky caramel finish, according to the distillery. Approximately 7,000 bottles are available at select retailers for a suggested retail price of $99.99. For more information, please call Limestone Branch Distillery at (270) 699-9004.

New Products Redbreast Irish Whiskey added a new permanent expression to its decorated Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey family. Redbreast Lustau Edition is finished in hand selected, first-fill sherry butts from the prestigious Bodegas Lustau in Jerez, Spain. The whiskey is initially matured in a combination of exceptional bourbon and sherry casks. The new expression is then wholly finished for one year in sherry butts, seasoned with Oloroso sherry from Bodegas Lustau. The whiskey features a distinctive twist, offering a nose of dark fruits, prunes and marzipan, a creamy texture on the palate, and a long, sweet finish complemented by notes of distinctive Spanish oak and Oloroso sherry, according to the distillery. It has a suggested retail price of $69.99 for a 750 mL bottle and is available in select markets, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York and Texas. For more information, please call Pernod Ricard USA at (212) 372-5400. Wyoming Whiskey has launched Outryder, a Straight American Whiskey. The new spirit is Bottled in Bond and represents the distillery’s first use of rye, along with corn and malted barley, to craft a straight whiskey from two distinct mash bills. These two whiskies were laid down in November, 2011. The first mash bill contains 48 percent winter rye, 40 percent corn, and 12 percent malted barley and the second reflects a traditional bourbon mash bill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent winter rye, and 12 percent malted barley. All grains are non-GMO and grown in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming. A total of 2,640 cases of Outryder will be available for purchase throughout the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $54.99. For more information, please call Wyoming Whiskey at (307) 864-2116. Crown Royal Vanilla Flavored Whisky is a blend of hand-selected Crown Royal whiskies infused with the flavor of Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla. The 70 proof whisky is packaged in a cream-colored bag and box and sold nationwide at a suggested retail price of $24.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Diageo at (203) 229-2100. The Macallan, has introduced The Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old to its core range in the U.S. The distinctive new whisky marks the first time the distillery has used American Oak Sherry-seasoned casks as the most prominent flavor style in an expression of The Macallan. Casks made from American oak are crafted in Spain and Sherry-seasoned before traveling to the Macallan’s distillery on Speyside to mature for at least twelve

22 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

years. These whiskies are united with those aged in exceptional Sherry-seasoned European oak casks. The whisky has a suggested retail price of $65 per 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Edrington Americas at (212) 352-6000. Woodford Reserve has released the latest expression in its limited edition Master’s Collection. Woodford Reserve Brandy Cask Finish is a whiskey finished in American brandy casks for nearly two years. The spirit is 90.4 proof and available select markets for a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Brown-Forman Corporation at (502) 585-1100. Phillips Distilling Company has launched Revel Stoke Root Beer Flavored Whisky. The Canadian blended whisky is made using 3-year and 8-year Canadian whiskies and infused with root beer flavor. The spirit is available nationally for a suggested retail price of $13.99 for a 750 mL bottle and $15.99 for 1 L. For more information, please call (612) 362-7500.

Other Spirits Cognac maker Martell has launched Martell Blue Swift, an Eau de Vie de Vin made of 100 percent Cognac VSOP and finished in Kentucky Bourbon casks. The new product celebrates the company’s historical ties to the U.S., according to Martell. The 750 mL bottle takes on the shape of both cognac and bourbon casks and the elaborate “cut-glass” detail on its base evoking classic crystal decanters. The spirit is exclusively available in select U.S. markets including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Houston and Washington D.C. and has a suggested retail price of $49.99. For more information, please call Pernod Ricard USA at (212) 372-5400. GEM&BOLT is a fair trade mezcal brand distilled with damiana, a Mexican herb said to have mythological healing properties. The 88 proof spirit is made with Espadin agave produced and distilled in Oaxaca, Mexico. It is available in 750 mL, 200 mL, and 50 mL bottles and served in select restaurants, bars, and hotels in Austin and Los Angeles. The 750 mL size retails for $49.99. For more information, please call Krupa Consulting at (323) 656-6995. Kahlúa, a rum and coffee liqueur, has introduced a new Chili Chocolate variety. Available at retail

locations nationwide, Kahlúa Chili Chocolate is 20 percent ABV and retails for a suggested price of $18.99 per 750 ml bottle. For more information, please call Pernod Ricard USA at (212) 372-5400. The Revivalist Gins, a distinctive portfolio of craft gins from Pennsylvania, has launched its DragonDance expression, a Jalapeño infused gin. The spicy and savory spirit is available throughout Pennsylvania in fine dining and drinking establishments and in retail stores, bars and restaurants in New Jersey. It has a suggested retail price of $39.99. For more information, please call Brandywine Branch Distillers at (610) 844-6963. CÎROC Mango is the newest expression in the premium vodka line. Infused with mango and other natural flavors, the spirit features undertones of tangy citrus, according to the distiller. The 70 proof vodka has a suggested retail price of $30.99 for a 750 mL bottle. It is available nationally. For more information, please call Diageo at (646) 223-2229. Pisco Portón, LLC announces the addition of its newest expression. La Caravedo Torontel is a pisco puro, which means it is made from a single varietal of the eight grape varietals allowed by Peruvian law to make pisco. The new spirit is made from the torontel grape, which is an aromatic varietal that evolved on the Peruvian coast and provides a strong floral bouquet and velvety texture, according to the distillery. It is distilled in Hacienda La Caravedo’s original falca stills, and there are eight pounds of grapes in every 750 mL bottle. The pisco is currently available throughout the U.S. markets and has a suggested retail price of $32.99 for a 750 mL bottle. For more information, please call Pisco Portón at (832) 255-1570. KOVAL Distillery has launched Barreled Peach Brandy, the inaugural member of a new line of exceptional limited edition spirits named Susan for President. The spirit is distilled from organic peaches and aged in KOVAL rye whiskey barrels. The label was printed using the same innovative and environmentally sustainable techniques as KOVAL’s Dry Gin, featuring gold foil, embossing, laser cutting, and die cutting. It is available vailable for purchase in the U.S. at Ezras.com for a suggested retail price of $49.99 for a 375 mL bottle. For more information, please call KOVAL at (312) 465-3788.

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Channel Check

SPOTLIGHT CATEGORY

Craft Beer

What’s HOT & what’s NOT in stores now

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

It’s getting hard at the top, as some of the biggest craft beer brands have shown declines even as the overall category continues to grow – albeit more slowly than it has in the past. With size comes accountability – Boston Beer has had a tough couple of quarters and the stock market is making it pay, while there’s been turnover at the top at New Belgium, as well, during a period of very slow growth. Still, brands with newly uncorked pipeline access are getting to pour a lot of volume into the market: witness Lagunitas, Ballast Point, Founders, and Firestone Walker, all of which have made deals with more established or deep-pocketed partners in the past 18 months. CRAFT BEER Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

Blue Moon

$338,752,509

-1.2%

Samuel Adams

$338,747,898

-7.5%

Sierra Nevada

$259,306,875

0.0%

New Belgium

$198,371,551

3.1%

Leinenkugel Specialty

$172,577,845

-6.3%

Lagunitas

$158,065,309

26.5%

Shock Top

$142,764,339

-11.5%

Shiner

$136,998,295

-1.4%

Deschutes

$78,217,687

16.3%

Goose Island

$70,329,299

38.5%

Stone

$62,653,731

17.2%

Bells

$59,273,110

29.0%

Ballast Point

$57,167,910

91.9%

Kona

$54,737,248

19.6%

Sweetwater

$53,492,671

9.6%

Founders

$49,897,704

60.5%

Firestone

$47,246,659

55.2%

Redhook

$36,286,461

-13.6%

New Glarus

$36,031,622

11.0%

Dogfish Head

$35,573,030

4.3%

TOPLINE CATEGORY VOLUME $34,128,477,001

3.4%

Energy Drinks

$12,107,427,840

5.85%

Bottled Juices

$7,163,676,160

1.92%

Tea/Coffee

$5,386,977,792

8.07%

Bottled Water

$14,672,269,312

8.19%

Drink Mixes

$860,881,088

-3.08%

Beer

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

24 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Channel Check BOTTLED WATER Brand

• Your Custom Beverage Formulator • Soda · Tea · Functional · Mixers · Vodka Rum · Whiskey · Energy · Juice · Cider Enhanced Water · Beer · Cocktail · Liqueurs

• Customized Flavors •

Dollar Sales $2,397,313,536

8.55%

Dasani

$1,096,968,064

4.50%

Aquafina

$1,067,848,064

6.39%

Nestle Pure Life

$908,812,160

2.48%

Glaceau Smart Water

$864,929,792

12.95%

Poland Spring

$683,977,600

8.78%

Glaceau Vitamin Water

$504,340,640

5.41%

Deep Park

$440,726,272

6.23%

Fiji

$373,992,864

26.50%

Ozarka

$341,289,344

-4.79%

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Change vs. year earlier

Private Label

ENERGY DRINKS Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

Red Bull

$2,946,243,072

-0.01%

Monster Energy

$1,540,498,944

5.99%

Red Bull Sugar Free

$719,453,504

9.59%

Monster Energy Zero Ultra

$507,094,176

18.92%

NOS

$419,153,504

3.79%

Java Monster

$416,678,912

19.36%

Monster Rehab

$314,087,008

0.64%

Monster Energy Lo Carb

$310,355,648

-1.65%

Red Bull The Summer Edition

$285,483,520

107.78%

Rockstar

$260,784,000

-1.33%

ENERGY SHOTS Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

5 Hour Energy

$1,048,992,768

-0.56%

Stacker 2 Xtra

$16,359,488

-4.74%

Tweaker

$15,942,856

33.61%

Private Label

$12,570,483

-18.24%

Stacker 2

$9,839,650

-4.45%

K Chill

$8,276,481

N/A

Stacker 2 Extreme

$8,036,662

61.19%

Rhino Rush

$7,715,600

31.25%

$4,318,787

77.18%

Stacker 2 6 Hour Power

$4,183,133

-39.81%

SPORTS DRINKS Brand

Dollar Sales

Gatorade Perform

Change vs. year earlier

$3,287,805,952

-0.21% -0.96%

Powerade ION4

$783,224,704

Gatorade Frost

$700,285,184

59.31%

Gatorade

$352,777,280

-6.76%

Gatorade Feirce

$316,436,320

12.77%

Gatorade G2 Perform

$299,924,480

-4.52%

Powerade

$238,867,248

3.74%

Powerade Zero ION4

$208,769,680

4.72%

Bodyarmor

$87,483,680

134.70%

Gatorade G2

$52,364,816

-1.30%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

26 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

SPARKLING WATER Brand

Dollar Sales

Private Label

Change vs. year earlier

$438,995,232

11.24%

Sparkling Ice

$367,418,528

6.25%

Perrier

$220,985,360

16.01%

La Croix

$217,545,808

64.85%

San Pellegrino

$124,316,704

9.60%

Polar

$110,329,952

22.63%

Schweppes

$62,445,076

16.87%

Sparkling Ice Lemonade

$61,398,572

-14.25%

Topo Chico

$60,700,512

24.88%

Canada Dry

$39,626,644

20.85%

DOMESTIC BEER Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

Bud Light

$5,993,993,972

-1.0%

Coors Light

$2,428,136,460

1.3%

Budweiser

$2,097,486,761

-1.6%

Miller Lite

$2,053,060,972

1.8%

Michelob Ultra Light

$1,276,788,997

24.1%

Natural Light

$1,029,478,574

-1.8%

Busch Light

$859,251,942

0.4%

Busch

$613,519,518

-1.5%

Miller High Life

$439,713,094

-2.8%

Keystone Light

$421,121,832

-4.4%

Specially Designed for Beverage Formulation

TEA Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

AriZona

$665,059,136

Lipton Pure Leaf

$595,975,744

-1.86% 15.18%

Lipton Brisk

$336,073,184

-2.46%

Lipton

$318,058,976

0.67%

Gold Peak

$315,539,904

39.19%

Snapple

$225,433,008

3.32%

Lipton Diet

$195,072,384

3.75%

AriZona Arnold Palmer

$191,987,952

-6.15%

Diet Snapple

$174,916,768

-2.75%

Honest Tea

$57,741,492

24.94%

RTD ALMOND MILK Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze

$66,894,957

17.5%

Silk Pure Almond

$15,892,935

-38.1% 210.4%

Silk

$8,325,454

Private Label

$6,207,614

5.6%

Pacific

$4,306,213

17.9%

Orgain

$1,506,858

So Delicious

$567,133

Other The Hain Celestial Grp Inc

$531,721

-50.2%

Califia Farms

$170,314

256.2%

Pacific Natural Foods

$100,420

30.1%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

-43.4%

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BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Gerry’s Insights

The Drinks and the Scene

By Gerry Khermouch

Being a bit of a music geek, a few weeks ago I headed for the first time to three days of magnificent American roots music amid the glories of Golden Gate Park, at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival. Its seven stages offered a chance to see musical faves of mine like Steve Earle, Conor Oberst, Rosanne Cash and Gillian Welch, and to check out up close a flock of up-and-comers and oddities like CW Stoneking, a blues guitar whiz from the wilds of Australia’s northern territories who’s lately been resurrecting 1920s and 30s hokum. (Yes, readers are thinking, we can see why a magazine columnist would be drawn to hokum. Presidents-elect, too!) It was the sixteenth annual edition of a festival that was a gift to San Francisco from the late hedge fund millionaire (and gifted banjo player) Warren Hellman, who insisted that it be kept free. In order to keep it as unencumbered as possible, he refused to engage in the usual cost-defraying ploys of selling official pouring rights to various alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage marketers; instead, fest-goers are invited to just pack in their own. (There were plenty of food stands operated by local vendors, but I spotted only a single beverage booth – a busy Revive Kombucha draft-only stand tucked away near one of the stages.) For a beverage guy like me, that made the event a fascinating petri dish, with visitors’ beverage choices entirely their own, a reflection of their own personal tastes rather than the constraints of the festival sponsors. True, glass was discouraged, as was hard liquor, but nobody was enforcing those rules, and the well-behaved crowd seemed diligent about directing the empties to the right recycling bins. Since I was wearing a Glenlivet cap, I was offered more than one taste of illicit whisky by good-natured revelers. So what did I see, beverage-wise, in my three (hard working, natch!) shifts of seven or so hours apiece over the course of the fest? Not a single conventional CSD, though I did see one fest-goer with a can of Zevia on her picnic blanket. I saw quite a few visitors drinking bottled kombucha and an awful lot of bottled water – usually

inexpensive private-label brands, regional springs, La Croix or Smartwater rather than the flock of higher-end alkaline and other brands. Iced tea? I spotted Teas’ Tea and its Oi Ocha green tea offshoot, but no AriZona, no Lipton, no Gold Peak. A bit of ready-to-drink cold-brewed coffee, a can or two of Illy. On the beer side, over the three days I spotted a handful of invariably younger people who’d lugged in a suitcase of Bud Light or PBR. Otherwise, the choice seemed overwhelmingly to be local and regional craft beers like Sierra Nevada, Lagunitas, 21st Amendment and Fort Point. Of course, I was there to enjoy the music rather than conduct an exhaustive survey, so these are stray, anecdotal observations. Still – no Diet Coke? No Heineken? For anyone from a big beverage or beer company this would have had to be a sobering sight. Yes, it was San Francisco, but the free nature of the fest ensured it drew a pretty diverse range of locals, from affluent techies to hipsters to hippies to Latinos to picnicking families with the kids still in their soccer uniforms. To a trend-watcher like me, who’s always wondering whether these intriguing new entries and segments that are bubbling up are truly ready for prime time, it suggested that beverages indeed are going through some significant disruption. Think of it: I spent well over 20 hours at a fest that drew 750,000 and didn’t see anyone drinking a Diet Coke. All this before the newly enacted soda tax takes effect, too. Some of the music acts I caught were great and have been stuck in my mind all these weeks since: Hayes Carll’s indelible opening of “Drunken Poet’s Dream” (“I’ve got a woman who’s wild as Rome; She likes to lie naked and be gazed upon”), Robyn Hitchcock, informed that his time had run out on a converted-trailer stage, confiding, “This is a really sought shed.” But I can’t stop thinking about the beverage situation, too. So what does this all augur for 2017? Among manufacturers, the big beer players already have reacted decisively, scarfing up one craft brewer after another

28 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

in a race to assemble a potent portfolio of national and regional brands, beyond the ones they try to develop in-house. So there’s less drama there. So far, it’s been a bit more sedate on the non-alcoholic front, though if the rumors one hears are to be believed, the cluster of strategics kicking the tires of Bai Brands attests to some fear of missing out. As I write this, it’s widely believed that Pepsi is close to announcing its acquisition of KeVita, the maker of probiotic drinks and kombuchas. And let’s not forget that most big food and beverage players by now have set up venture arms and incubators to capture the innovation that they recognize isn’t so likely to come from within their own walls. At retail, grocers are carving out more space for innovative beverage brands and making it easier for them to navigate the retailers’ sometimes arcane ways of doing business. Lately they seem to be cutting back a bit on the clutter of craft beer brands, but there’s no question of any decisive retreat for such a lucrative segment that’s done so much to make beer relevant again. Maybe a given grocer doesn’t need to be offering 100 different IPAs, so a few dozen will do. On the non-alcoholic side, they’ve been surprisingly welcoming to relatively unproven new categories like turmeric-, chia- and ginger-based drinks, cold-pressed juice, cold-brewed coffee, kombucha and dairy alternatives, even as the options to choose from have proliferated wildly. My snapshot of San Francisco aside, consumption habits haven’t been turned entirely on their head: CSDs are still a huge, if declining category, and recent years’ hit brands have included the likes of energy drinks and Sparkling Ice, basically intriguing permutations of CSDs. Still, to paraphrase the Nobel Prize-winning writer Bob Dylan, something seems to be happening here, even if we’re not quite sure what it is. The coming year may offer a lot of answers as to what. Longtime beverage-watcher Gerry Khermouch is executive editor of Beverage Business Insights, a twice-weekly e-newsletter covering the nonalcoholic beverage sector.

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APPLE WATCH: There’s a sense of déjà brew when one looks at the trajectory of the cider category: the sweeter stuff has entered a period of weak performance – some even project negative growth – all thanks to the brands on the macro side of the business. It wasn’t always this way. Cider began a steep climb around 2010, when it started posting double-digit volume growth. Sales accelerated for the next few years and increased, on average, nearly 70 percent annually from 2012 to 2014, according to figures provided by the United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM). However, the momentum slowed considerably in 2015 when the volume gain was just over 11 percent. And, although final full-year 2016 numbers won’t be available until around the second quarter of 2017, current year-to-date trends point to a decline in sales in 2016. Chicago-based market research company IRI, which measures sales in most of the major off-premise retail channels, estimates that segment volume could be

down in the high single digits for calendar year 2016 when all is said and done. For the 52-week period that ended at the end of September, 7.4 percent versus the same period in 2015. “Cider is having a challenging year with regards to its sales,” says Dan Wandel, principal in IRI’s Beverage Alcohol Practice Area. “I attribute the soft sales primarily to increased competition across the total beverage alcohol industry. I do not think you can limit the competition to the beer category in this case.” One particular segment that may be one of the culprits is flavored malt beverages (FMBs). There’s been a great deal of activity in that category, especially from the likes of Anheuser-Busch InBev. The world’s largest beer producer has enjoyed considerable success with its Ritas line, which started with Lime A Rita and continued with a succession of flavor extensions designed to offset losses when consumer interest in previous entries declined. The company also launched the Bud

30 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Behind the Cider Slowdown By Jeff Cioletti

CIDER

Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

Angry Orchard

$233,485,821

-9.7%

$29,811,376

17.1%

Strongbow Woodchuck

$25,486,577

-26.8%

Smith and Forge

$20,409,234

-22.5%

Stella Artois Cidre

$16,296,078

36.2%

Bold Rock

$9,959,343

103.7%

Crispin

$7,443,977

-16.0%

Ace

$4,597,732

61.1%

Johnny Cider

$4,558,906

-78.9%

Michelob Cider

$4,424,321

-24.9%

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

Light Mixx Tails lines, FMBs that emulate popular cocktail styles. And, late last year, AB InBev unveiled Best Damn Root Beer, throwing its hat into the ring of the surging new FMB sub-segment, hard soda. The advent of hard soda may explain some of the erosion in cider consump-

tion, at least in diverting trial by those who might otherwise dabble in the product or be looking for a beer alternative. At the very least, they’re taking some of the shelf space that had belonged to cider brands – especially those owned by the macro brewers. So, for instance, in 2014 AB InBev put a lot of muscle behind its Johnny Appleseed cider brand. Now, it’s aggressively marketing its Best Damn line, possibly taking retail space once reserved for Johnny Appleseed. Similarly MillerCoors – now a unit of Molson Coors following the AB InBev/SABMiller merger – has been putting considerable effort behind its Henry’s Hard Soda line, which could be cannibalizing some of its Smith & Forge cider business. So far, though, the big winner in the hard soda space has been neither an AB InBev brand nor a MillerCoors trademark, but Not Your Father’s Root Beer, which, according to IRI data, generated more than $100 million at off-premise channels in 2015. A Wauconda, Ill.-based company called Small Town Brewery created the brand (though most of its volume has been contract-brewed by LaCrosse, Wis.-based City Brewing) and its market presence expanded dramatically in the middle of 2015 after it signed a distribution deal with Pabst Brewing Co., and sold a stake to its owners. Hard seltzers – essentially hard sodas without the flavor, color or sweeteners – also are exploding onto the scene and likely are wooing the cider-curious away from the category. But the competition also may be coming from outside the beer and FMB markets entirely. Wandel suggests that the rise in flavored whiskeys could be a factor. Overall whiskey volume grew by about 4.9 percent to 59.4 million 9-liter cases, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. Flavored whiskeys, which now account for more than 14 percent of the total whiskey market, grew by 36 percent in 2015. It’s important to note, however, that those categories are pulling consumers mostly from the largest-volume cider brands and not the segment’s very long tail – the craft sector, if you will. As the craft beer segment outperforms the overall U.S. beer category, the same dynamic is playing out in cider. The only real difference is that the overall cider category – inclusive of both the macros and the smaller brands – is a fraction of the size of the beer market and all of its data gets

REGIONAL CIDERIES ON THE RISE By Justin Kendall

As cider offerings from larger producers have hit a dry spell, those from smaller, regional producers are gaining market share as consumers continue seeking out sweeter alcoholic beverages. For proof, look no further than Virginia’s Bold Rock Hard Cider, which has seen yearto-date dollar sales (through Sept. 25) grow more than 100 percent, to nearly $8 million, according to market research firm IRI Worldwide. That ranks Bold Rock as the sixth-largest cidery – the top five sellers are all national brands – by market share, even though the company’s products are distributed in just nine states. This year, Bold Rock will sell about 45,000 barrels (up 80 percent year to date) of cider, and in 2017, the company expects to produce about 65,000 barrels.

production facility and two retail outposts – and in North Carolina, where it has a second cidery. And Liebhardt believes still room to grow in Bold Rock’s backyard. “In Virginia, we still only have a 36 share of the cider category,” Liebhardt said. “We had an 8 share two years ago. We think we can get to a 60 share in the state in the next few years.” Meanwhile, Blake’s Hard Cider, another regional producer located in Michigan, is also experiencing “high double-digit to triple-digit growth” throughout its territory, co-owner Andrew Blake said. The company has three Michigan locations that total 600,000 visitors annually, Blake said, and the cider maker will produce about 23,000 barrels this year. He said Blake’s has

“Where there’s a strong local cider, the hard cider trends aren’t as bad,” Jeff Liebhardt, Bold Rock’s senior vice president of sales and marketing told BevNET. “Unfortunately the combination of all the local craft can’t make up that volume,” he added, noting declines for the Boston Beer Company-owned Angry Orchard, which currently has about 56 percent market share, according to IRI Worldwide. Meanwhile, Bold Rock is building its foundation in Virginia – where it operates a

“grown responsibility,” but he sees an industry still in its “teenage years, trying to figure ourselves out in the American market.” “The biggest struggle” for regional producers is convincing distributors and retailers that “a high-priced 6-pack of cider will sell” beyond the $6.99 to $7.99 price point set by mass-produced cider. “If we’re going to continue to make the quality stuff that we’re making, we need to be at this price point,” said Blake, whose 6-packs sell for around $9.99.

32 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

“There’s no water that goes into our product,” Blake said. “It’s juice. It’s more expensive. Every ounce of liquid comes from the apples.” Despite the higher price point for many regional brands, consumers are trading up from marketplace leaders like Angry Orchard and Woodchuck, according to Kris Nelson, founder of Citizen Cider. The Burlington, Vermont company launched in 2011 and is on track to produce more than 16,000 barrels of cider this year. “People recognize that we’re not creating this quick little brand with an easy flavor,” Nelson said. “We’re creating something deeper than that. “It would be much easier to call up some juice house,” he continued, “but the way we do it is more expensive and harder, and we have a deeper impact. If we’re going to make a product from an agricultural product, then you have got to support the industry.” Part of winning over consumers is owning your home market, Nelson said, adding that Citizen Cider has become “the craft cider of Vermont.” “A lot of people willing to go further and appreciate a product built on integrity, not racing to the bottom to get the best margins,” Nelson said. “For us, it’s let’s just make a great cider, work with a process that we feel really strongly about, be as transparent about what we’re doing and go from there.” For his part, Nels Jewell-Larsen of 2 Towns Ciderhouse in Oregon believes the more regional cider makers can mimic the craft beer segment, the easier it will be to convince consumers to pay a higher price point. “There’s no doubt that when you’re using great ingredients, your costs are going to be quite a bit higher than folks optimizing,” Jewell-Larsen said. 2 Towns uses freshpressed apples from the Northwest with no concentrates or sorbates. “There’s a value proposition there, and they’re willing to pay more for something that they really want.”

lumped together without the segmented nuances of the beer business. (For more on the growth of craft cider, see our sidebar on regional cider brands). The No. 1 cider brand, Angry Orchard (owned by Boston Beer Co.) previously had been a category juggernaut, seeing annual volume increases around 90 percent as recently as three years ago. But for the 52-week period that ended on Oct. 2, Angry Orchard volume had dropped about 10 percent versus the same period in 2015, according to IRI. Additionally, MillerCoors-owned Smith and Forge was down around 22 percent and AB InBev’s Johnny Appleseed fell more than 75 percent. Meanwhile, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider, one of the innovators on the craft side of the business, expects to finish the year with about 38 percent volume growth. Reverend Nat’s, whose ciders tend to be drier than the generally sweet options among the macros, as well as more experimental (the cidery markets a line of offerings that incorporate hops into their recipes), usually attract more cider-savvy consumers than the macros do. “We’re seeing the same customers who were buying macro brands moving away from those ciders and into hard sodas,” Reverend Nat’s founder Nat West observes. “Those cider drinkers were never my cider drinkers; they were never my target market – just as craft beer is not necessarily dragging customers from Keystone Light.” Despite the downward volume trend for the overall cider category, some in the industry expect things to calm down fairly soon. “There are some bright spots, as some smaller brands continue to show solid growth,” says Brian Lechner, VP of professional services at market research firm Nielsen. “And, there is continued price appreciation in the category as consumers trade up to higher priced niche offerings.” Whether that trading up phenomenon accelerates depends more on availability at retail – especially in on-premise, where consumers are more likely to experiment – than on a surge in the number of new cideries. “The amount of shelf space hasn’t grown to keep pace with the number of new cideries,” West pointed out. “Tap handles, too, may be stagnant or slightly decreasing. The advice I’m giving new cider people is start a pub – or do a combined thing, half of their own [brands] and half guest taps.”

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

COLD WAR

Coca-Cola and Dunkin’ Take Aim at RTD Coffee By Martín Caballero

34 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

2017 is shaping up to be the year in which Coca-Cola wakes up and smells the coffee. The world’s largest beverage company is not so much stepping into the nearly $2 billion dollar RTD coffee segment as they are diving in full force with an ambitious multi-brand strategy aimed at capturing the all-important millennial consumer base, including a high-profile partnership with retail coffee powerhouse Dunkin’ Donuts that is being positioned as direct competition to products from the Starbucks/PepsiCo alliance. Coke’s plans exemplify a pair of trends within the category: retailers moving successful products from stores to conventional CPG channels, and a growing thirst for iced coffee beverages, specifically cold brew, among millennials. According to statistics from market research firm Mintel, cold coffee products are growing fastest in retail, with nearly twice as many millennials, defined as individuals of ages 18-34, drinking iced coffee than those in the 34-54 age range. RTD coffee is now growing faster than in foodservice, with a 69 percent consumption rate amongst millennials. Cold brew has been a major driver within the segment, growing 338.9 percent from 2010 to 2015. According to research provided by Mintel, 28 percent of U.S. adults consume cold brew coffee as of June

2015. Amongst millennials, that rises to 48 percent, with another 48 percent saying that they have not tried cold brew but are interested in doing so in the future. While smaller coffee operations were early adopters of cold brew, major retailers are only recently joining the fray. Starbucks launched cold brew coffee in its 2,800 retail locations last year, followed by a 400 store launch in Peet’s Coffee and Tea. The former also released a bottled RTD version this summer, while Peet’s debuted a three SKU line of packaged cold brew offerings in July. In October, Dunkin’ Brands CEO Nigel Travis told the Associated Press that the company’s cold brew coffee, which debuted in June, was proving particularly popular with millennials and called it Dunkin’s most successful product launch since 2000. The company credited iced coffee for a 2 percent increase in U.S. stores open last year. On September 29, also known as National Coffee Day, Coca-Cola announced its entrance into the arena with an agreement with Dunkin Donuts to produce, market and distribute a line of bottled RTD iced coffees that will debut in 2017. All four SKUs — Original, Mocha, French Vanilla and Espresso — will be packaged in 13.7 oz. PET bottles and made with 100 percent Arabica coffee

RFG READY-TO-DRINK COFFEE Brand

Dollar Sales

Change vs. year earlier

International Delight

$62,334,016

-2.52%

Starbucks Iced Espresso Classics

$47,264,800

56.50%

Starbucks

$38,426,488

24.41%

Califia Farms

$20,756,394

177.73%

Bolthouse Farms Perfectly Protein

$19,489,604

-7.35%

Caribou Coffee

$7,786,813

Private Label

386.41%

$4,604,685

-27.78%

Bolthouse Farms

$4,581,931

-24.56%

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

$4,173,657

85.22%

Prairie Farms

$2,225,010

27.66%

Upstate Farms

$892,150

-2.95%

Chameleon Cold Brew

$882,631

331.15%

Stumptown Cold Brew

$566,712

N/A

Blue Bottle Coffee

$446,684

41.51%

Hiland

$396,573

42.39%

Turkey Hill Ooo-La-Latte

$368,232

39.54%

Black Medicine

$358,772

234.53%

Prospectors Cold Brew

$265,410

N/A

Dream Latte

$254,755

-45.74%

$218,30

-84.08%

International Delight CLD STN CRMR

SOURCE: IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm (@iriworldwide) 52 Weeks through 10/2/16

blends along with milk and sugar, offering a sweeter taste profile similar to the popular Starbucks Frappuccino line, “This is a big bet for us, and we’re confident we have the right strategy in place to capture the tremendous opportunity we

see ahead,” said Geoff Henry, vice president of coffee and tea at Coca-Cola North America, in an interview with BevNET. “As the leader in the hot and iced coffee categories in the U.S., Dunkin’ Donuts RTD coffee is a unique, strong brand with

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

a loyal following of fans who will be excited for new offerings [in the category].” Henry also said that the product line is designed to match what customers currently drink in Dunkin’ restaurants. “Dunkin’ RTD coffee will be marketed to the general population as a rich, smooth RTD coffee beverage that can be enjoyed throughout the day,” he said. By expanding the brand’s penetration into conventional groceries and convenience stores, Dunkin’ is solidifying its position as an overall leader in the coffee category. But even in partnering with the world’s largest beverage company, the brand will face the daunting challenge of knocking Starbucks from its perch at the top of the RTD coffee market. The PepsiCo/Starbucks North American Coffee Partnership, which has been selling bottled products like Starbucks Frappuccino and Doubleshot since 1994, holds a 97 percent share of the category. Starbucks cited high income from the Partnership as a primary driver of higher operating margins in its Q4 2016 earnings report. Nicole Regan Miller, a managing director and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray who covers Starbucks, said that Dunkin’s management structure has made its ability to catch up with its rival in the RTD category more challenging. As part of the agreement, CocaCola will pay Dunkin’ a fee that will be divided between the corporation and the individual franchisees that operate its retail stores in order to cover potential sales lost to bottled products. “The reason that Dunkin’s time frame is different is its operating model is different,” Miller told BevNET. “With a 100 percent franchise model, there’s a lot more things that have to be worked out. That is your partner that you have to go and promote to them how it’s not going to cannibalize anything they are doing and that they work hard for day in and day out in the stores they are running.” Sean Naughton, a senior research analyst in the consumer sector at Piper Jaffray, said Dunkin’s strong brand loyalty would translate well into the RTD market. “Another brand with high affinity with consumers, coming in there with backing from Coke, I think is going to be mildly disruptive,” Naughton said. “Dunkin’ clearly has a very strong brand. Starbucks is really the 800 lb. gorilla in that particular segment, but I think Dunkin could have an impact.”

THE BULLETPROOF CHILDREN ARE COMING When Silicon Valley entrepreneur and bio-hacker Dave Asprey first posted his recipe for Bulletproof Coffee in 2009, it caught the interest of a few narrow demographics, mainly fitness enthusiasts or fellow tech-industry power players like Asprey. Seven years later, a new generation of entrepreneurs and brands have begun building the niche product into a legitimate RTD coffee sub-category, each taking different approaches towards tweaking Asprey’s original formula and expanding the drink’s customer base. Asprey’s original formulation is a blend of hot coffee, butter from grass-fed cows, and coconut oil, which contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCT), a form of saturated fatty acid that purportedly improves cognitive functioning, uplifts mood and can help the body burn fat. In subsequent years the Bulletproof brand has broadened its direct-to consumer offerings to include coffee beans, add-ons like “Brain Octane MCT Oil,” XCT Oil, and other products, as well as a retail coffee shop in Santa Monica. Last year Bulletproof introduced an enhanced water line called FATwater, which combines water with small amounts of XCT Oil. Thus far, Bulletproof has not produced any RTD coffee offerings, leaving a new wave of brands seeking to fill that space. But before that can occur, coffee producers still need to bridge the gap in consumers’ understanding of the product. Bulletproof-style coffees were one of the first items added to the menu when Naomi Seifter opened Blue Northern Cafe in Austin, Texas in 2013. She has witnessed first-hand the initially slow process of educating consumers on exactly what the product is and its benefits. It is now the cafe’s bestselling item, and Seifert’s confidence in the category’s potential led to Blue Northern producing a three-SKU RTD 10 oz. bottled butter coffee that will launch in Whole Foods in spring 2017. “I was expecting people to ‘get it’ right away, but it was totally the opposite,” said Seifter, who uses Bulletproof brand MCT oil at the cafe. “We had to sit there and convince people why they should try it and what the experience will be like. It took about a year of us doing that every single day with every customer to convince them before they would try.” Romy Raad and Natalie Neumann, co-founders of Brooklyn-based Metabrew, stumbled on Asprey’s concept while doing research for a thesis paper on how food can enhance performance and productivity. They adopted the complete Bulletproof diet for several months and were impressed with the results. To create their own formula, the pair added organic raw cacao, swapped butter for organic raw cashews, and lowered the caffeine content to make a lighter, easier-to-digest beverage. “The amount of caffeine in an entire bottle is only 53mg, which is like a cup of tea,” Raad told BevNET. “We added cashews because they make the flavor much nicer. There’s no buttery aftertaste or smell. It also adds creaminess. People are pleasantly surprised that the drink is light.” Califia Farms recently entered the category with Full Shot, an 10.5 oz. SKU of MCT oil-infused cold brew coffee with almond milk and coconut cream. In an interview with BevNET, Califia founder and CEO Greg Steltenpohl said the company’s interest in Bulletproof-style coffees was sparked after several major national food retailers approached the brand. “[The retailers] wanted to have a trusted brand to address the category,” Steltenpohl said. “There are a lot of new players, and you’re not always sure about the background and level of nutritional integrity [with them].”

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The partnership will, however, not include a RTD version of one of Dunkin’s most in-demand menu items: cold brew. Coke has plans to release its own RTD cold brew, along with a line of tea lattes, through its Gold Peak brand in 2017. The Gold Peak cold brew line will be made with real cream and sugar and available in two SKUs, Salted Caramel and Almond Toffee. Henry said the tea lattes, available in Chai Latte and Vanilla Chai Latte SKUs, were inspired by company research showing millennial consumers were seeking more indulgent tea offerings.

Both Gold Peak products will be available in 13.7 oz. PET bottles. They will also launch in re-sealable packaging in early 2017 for sale in conventional grocery and convenience store channels, and future food service components are being explored for each. The developments within the Dunkin’ Donuts and Gold Peak lines could have a knock-on effect on Coke’s existing RTD coffee product illy issimo, a joint venture with Italian coffee specialist illycaffe S.p.A. launched in 2009. Four of the five SKUs — Caffe, Latte Macchiato, Caffe Macchiato, and Cappuccino — contain milk and sugar. When asked about creating distinction between Coke’s coffee brands, Henry told BevNET: “Each of these brands has its own unique taste and identity, so we expect minimal overlap or cannibalization. Each brand plays an important role in our strategy to offer a variety of great-tasting options and helps the Company become a major player in a beverage category that continues to rise in popularity.”

Meanwhile, Shari Leidich, co-founder of natural food company Two Moms in the Raw, is aiming to disrupt the creamer industry with KnowBrainer, an MCT oil-infused coffee creamer. Leidich told BevNET that the product allows butter coffee drinkers to exercise portion control. Each 30g packet contains half a teaspoon of grass fed butter. “If you are going to have that morning coffee, why not get something amazing in return,” said Leidich. “Why not get all these things? For me, I feel like I’m making this accessible to everyone.” As consumers continue to learn about butter and MCT oil-infused products, its nutritional benefits will likely be a key point of discussion. The high saturated fat content in such products varies widely — ranging anywhere from 3.5g (16 percent of daily value) to 17g (85 percent DV) — as do calories and caffeine. Steltenpohl underscored the importance of backing the product with solid science. “The nutritional benefits have some guard rails around them,” said Steltenpohl. “But the fact that we have a very senior food scientist on board who has a lot of expertise in the area gave us confidence that we could approach it in the most sensible way.” Steltenpohl pointed out that one area of concern was how everyday consumers would respond to a coffee-based ketogenic beverage. One of the goals with Full Shot, he said, was to have a saturated fat content lower than 20 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Full Shot also does not contain butter. “We certainly could have just added the same amount of pure MCT oil as other people, but we felt the lack of public understanding on the ramifications of large amounts of saturated fat without exercise would not be beneficial to people’s general health,” said Steltenpohl. There have been more than a few voices raising skepticism over Bulletproof-style coffee’s health benefits. As a meal replacement, for example, Bulletproof-style coffee provides almost no nutritional value and just one gram of protein. And while nutritionists recognize that a “reasonable” amount of saturated fat is fine, consuming nearly the total recommended daily value in one cup can be harmful in the absence of an overall balanced, nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise. Asprey himself has also been scrutinized for some of his claims, including the role of mycotoxins, a potentially toxic form of mold that can develop in coffee beans and cause health problems if ingested in large amounts. Asprey has said that that he has developed a proprietary process that dramatically reduces the presence of “inflammation-causing and performance-robbing” mold and bacteria in the Upgraded Coffee sold on his website, yet medical studies suggest that methods already used by coffee producers, such as wet processing, reduces mycotoxins considerably below dangerous levels. The Bulletproof website contains a disclaimer stating that none of the information on the site has been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Leidich contends that changing attitudes towards saturated fats will ultimately lead a broader audience to butter and MCT oil-infused coffees, and product development continues apace. Each packet of KnowBrainer contains 200 calories and 16g of saturated fat, equivalent to 80 percent of the recommended daily value. The creamer comes in a nine-count caddy for groceries and an 18-count caddy for use at coffee bars. “Originally we thought every coffee shop would want this, but a lot of shops want to make it themselves” said Leidich. “We are getting lots of orders from coffee shops but also from chains.I think they will look at us to possibly use in their own offerings, rather than doing something on their own.I think the big companies are going after starts ups and they are going to support companies like that.” Yet to truly scale up, butter and MCT oil-based coffees will have to expand their appeal beyond health conscious and high-productivity audiences. To accomplish that, brands are focusing on product demos at fitness centers and yoga studios, betting that once consumers try their product, they will be able to feel the difference between it and other coffee and energy drink alternatives. More brands are emerging, and shops and home consumers continue to try out their own variations. “It’s a niche market, but a very big niche market,” said Raad. “There’s a lot of companies that have healthy functional beverages, and that helps a lot with customer education. The more brands there are the more people are exposed to it.”

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Brand News

Coffee

Bizzy Coffee is now the top selling cold brew coffee on Amazon, according to the company, and is preparing to share new innovations on the market in Q1 of 2017. Califia Farms continues to develop cold

brew innovations such as Nitro Cold Brew, made with almond and macadamia milks and available in Latte, Mocha and New Orleans flavors, and Black Label Cold Brew, made using a light Scandinavian-style and released in Black Mocha, Signature Blend and Single Origin SKUs. QuicFix, a cold brew coffee concentrate

that is shelf stable for up to three years, made its debut at this year’s NACS show in Atlanta in October. Aimed at on-thego millennial consumers, the aerosolbased product is available in 24- and 12-serving sizes. Chameleon Coffee of Austin, Texas,

focused on developing its cold brew concentrate products this year. The brand introduced a new flavor, Texas Pecan, to its concentrate lineup, while the original cold brew concentrate formula is now available in a one gallon bag-in-box package that provides 32 servings. Commonwealth Coffee Co. showcased

their roots in New England this year with four seasonal cold brew infusions inspired by local ingredients like maple, chocolate, and pumpkin spice. This year the brand also launched a keg program offering cold brew on tap to foodservice outlets, while expanding distribution to include three states and over 75 stores. Groundwork Coffee Co. recently

launched its newest RTD offering, Nitro Cold Brew, made with filtered water and locally roasted organic coffee beans and infused with nitrogen. The SKU is currently sold at Groundwork’s retail stores, with expansion into grocery channels expected to follow. Three Trees, currently being distributed

in the Pacific Northwest and Southern California, launched a Cold Brew Coffee Almondmilk in August. It’s a New Or-

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leans-style iced coffee made with chicory root that contains lower caffeine content than regular coffee. High Brew Coffee is debuting a new cold SKU called Creamy Cappuccino + Protein, which contains 12 grams of protein and three grams of fiber per 8 oz. can while delivering twice the natural caffeine as traditionally brewed coffee. F’in Delicious Cold Brew has two iced

coffee SKUs made with a blend of almond milk, organic blue raw agave and coffee from Brooklyn Roasting Company. Each are available at Whole Foods Market stores in the northeast region in 12 oz. bottles. Confluence Coffee continues to estab-

lish itself as a leader in RTD nitro cold brew products with the recent addition of Nitro Coconut Cold Brew to its existing House Nitro and Nitro Mocha Cold Brew line-up. Black Medicine recently completed a brand overhaul which included moving from aluminum bottles to cans for improved convenience and portability, in addition to refocusing its messaging with a new product description (“Cold Pressed Coffee”) and tagline (“Cold Coffee. Intensified.”) to better capture the brand’s characteristics. Slingshot Coffee is releasing its certified organic cold brew coffee in a new 64 oz. bag-in-box package. The brand is currently distributed at retailed such as Whole Foods and Earth Fare in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South and Midwest regions. Hotbox, the Colorado-based whole bean coffee roasting company, has launched its second RTD product: Hotbox Nitro Cold Brew, which contains 420 mg of caffeine. Hatch, based in Toronto, announced the brand now has three origins for its three SKUs of bottled cold brew coffee, and is assisting with co-packing for a select number of companies.

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A few years ago Manoj Bhargava, the founder and CEO of Living Essentials, which makes and distributes 5-hour Energy, compared the energy shot brand to WD-40. No, Bhargava didn’t mean that 5-hour Energy could clean a bicycle chain or remove rust from garden shears. He was referring to his belief that both WD-40 and 5-hour Energy are synonymous with the space in which they operate. Each has competitors, but Bhargava claimed that “to be a category, there have to be at least two relatively major players.” And among energy shot brands, there’s 5-hour and there’s everyone else, he noted. Things haven’t changed much since then. Today, 5-hour Energy products comprise nearly 91 percent of all energy shots sold in the U.S., with approximately $1.05 billion in sales over a 52-week period ending on Nov. 1, according to market research firm IRI. By comparison, Stacker 2, the closest competitor to 5-hour, did nearly $39 million in sales during the timeframe.

Meanwhile, SK Energy, which launched in 2011 and was hailed as a possible challenger brand to 5-hour, folded last year, despite millions of dollars in investment and the backing of rapper and actor 50 Cent. The big energy drink companies all went for it, with products from Red Bull, Monster, NOS, and Rockstar all rising and falling in short order. And it’s not just well-capitalized brands that have struggled to compete with 5-hour. Dozens of other entrepreneurial-launched energy shots have come and gone, overwhelmed by 5-hour’s distribution clout and brand recognition. Nevertheless, entrepreneurs continue to enter the space, armed with innovative, better-for-you variations on the standard ingredients. Focused on health and wellness, new brands are leading with natural formulations and trendy ingredients and concepts, such as moringa and cold brew coffee, as way to reach new and existing energy shot consumers. At the same time, a growing number of cold-pressed juice

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makers are launching shot line extensions, some of which promote an energy component derived from vitamin-rich ingredients.

The Coffee Approach A former branding and marketing executive, Neel Premkumar is the founder of Stur, a natural drink mix brand, which he launched in 2012. Later that year his wife gave birth to twin daughters, and, like many new parents, they found themselves exhausted trying to balance work and home life. He became a regular consumer of energy shots, and often wondered why there was no high-quality coffee-based version on the market. For Premkumar, the idea seemed intuitive and simple. What he’s learned, however, is that packaging and production are a timeconsuming and costly process. No matter how well-positioned the alternatives might be – and he’s captured the imagination of some of the right people, including “Beverage Whisperer” Ken Sa-

dowsky, an investor in the brand – building it has cost time and money. “We spent a lot of money early on getting the packaging right,” Premkumar said. “Handling aseptic and retort production with a small, custom package was a financial hurdle.” After two years of trial and error, Premkumar launched Forto in 2015. Made with a base of cold brew Fair Trade-certified coffee and blended with milk, Forto is fortified with added caffeine from green coffee beans. The shots are shelf-stable and packaged in patented 2 oz. bottles that are shaped like a disposable coffee cup topped with a lid. Available in Espresso, Mocha, Caramel and Vanilla varieties, Forto is USDA certified organic, something that Prem-

at airports across the U.S., Gold’s Gym, and Barnes & Noble book stores. Forto is most commonly merchandised in front-of-store displays and often shares shelf space with 5-hour Energy shots, Premkumar said. The brand’s miniature coffee cup package has been a critical point of differentiation for Forto, yet it’s familiar enough so that at “a glance most consumers can identify” that it’s a coffeebased energy shot. Moreover, the package and brand proposition has induced trial among regular coffee drinkers and, for some, become part of their daily routine. “We really bring a whole new consumer into the category,” Premkumar said. “Someone who is typically drinking coffee in the morning… and this is a togo cup in the afternoon.”

kumar views as an edge over competing products, particularly as consumers grow increasingly wary of artificial additives. Each shot contains 200 mg of caffeine per bottle, a level that presented “taste challenges” early on. However a recent reformulation has improved Forto’s flavor, Premkumar said. The revised liquid also came with a label revamp intended to better position Forto as an energy shot brand. “Forto Strong Coffee” and a “Drink To Go,” have been replaced by “Forto Coffee” and a “2X Energy Shot” on product labels. Sold in over 12,000 stores nationwide, Forto shots are distributed at at a range of convenience, grocery and drug stores, including Casey’s, Sheetz, Circle K, Albertsons, Publix and Rite-Aid. The brand is also available at Hudson News locations

The Superfood Energy Shot For one new superfood shot, the opportunity might lie with the “mommy demographic.” Moringa, a relative newcomer to the superfood scene, is a nutrient-rich leaf lauded for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Kuli Kuli is one of a handful of U.S. companies that market moringa-based products. Kuli Kuli partnered with Whole Foods Market and the Clinton Foundation – the latter supporting the company’s mission-based sourcing initiatives – to develop a line of shots, which also contain green tea extract and are packaged in 2.5 oz. bottles. “When we took a look at the competitive environment and consumer need states, we saw an opportunity to create a product that could meet two needs at once – a need to

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get more veggies and greens and a need for more energy – in one convenient product,” said Kuli Kuli founder and COO Valerie Popelka. “The nice thing about the shot is it’s a quick, easy, and efficient way to get your greens and a caffeine boost.” Described as “a cross between a green smoothie and an energy drink, with the health and energizing benefits of both,” the shots contain the caffeine equivalent of a cup of coffee and five grams of sugar. The line comes in three flavor varieties – Coconut Lime, Ginger Lemon and Raspberry. They are carried by Whole Foods in all of its locations nationwide and also sold at H-E-B stores in a Texas and number of independent natural food chains across the U.S. Popelka believes there is significant opportunity to expand distribution of Kuli Kuli shots into mainstream retail channels, as more consumers, particularly millennial-aged mothers, seek out clean energy products. She cited a report on the energy shot category prepared by market research company Mintel, which found that women with children are significantly more likely to drink energy shots than men and women without kids. The reason? Mothers are thinking about their health and longevity and opting for more natural choices, Popelka said. “The ingredient deck [for Kuli Kuli] is incredibly simple and straightforward,” she said. “Consumers have commented on how there’s ‘nothing scary’ or unknown in the product unlike more conventional energy shots.” However, Popelka conceded that moringa is relatively unknown in the U.S. To that end, Kuli Kuli’s marketing efforts are primarily focused on educating consumers about the benefits of moringa. The company has found some traction by comparing it to more established plant-based ingredients and promoting the shot format’s convenient delivery method for nutrition and energy. “The nice thing about the shot is it’s a quick, easy, and efficient way to get your greens and a caffeine boost,” Popelka said. “It’s like a wheatgrass shot and espresso shot in one.”

Shooting Juice Amid a maturing and crowded category for cold-pressed juice, some suppliers have turned to shots as a way to take advantage of growing consumer demand for on-the-go and healthy energy as well as to extend their presence on shelf. They also

see opportunity in consumers who are fine-tuning their approach to nutrition. “Product knowledge is just becoming increasingly high,” said Christel MacLean, the co-founder of Saratoga Juice Bar. “So when people want to get that pick-me-up for their workout, they know what they’re adding and why.” She noted that as more consumers become sophisticated about potent and nutrient-dense ingredients like turmeric, many are turning to the shot format as a standalone energy boost throughout different parts of the day. Which is why Saratoga Juice Bar, which has produced and sold juice shots at its retail store in upstate New York since its launch in 2013, introduced a wholesale line of 2 oz. shots as a complement to the flagship bottled juices it began distributing last year. The shots are sold at natural and speciality retailers, including Wegmans, in five states along the East Coast, as well as some gyms and college campuses near Saratoga. Available in four varieties, Hot Beets, Turmeric Blast, Wheatgrass Tropic and Just Dandy, the shots are primarily consumed as supplements to Saratoga’s juices sold at

the company’s retail store and added to smoothies, according to company co-founder Christel MacLean. Sold individually and in 6-pack cartons, the products require refrigeration and are most often merchandised along with cold-pressed juices and in grab-and-go coolers, according to Saratoga’s National Sales Manager Shawn Wilbur. Although the shots have only been on the market for a few months, Wilbur said that they have been extremely well received by Saratoga’s retail partners and consumers, and claimed that company “can’t make them quickly enough.” The early success has spurred interest among grocery store chains – and beyond. Saratoga is currently in talks with a handful of large convenience and drug retailers,

Wilbur said. He noted that along with rising demand for healthier shots, the products offer higher margins than other juice products and take up a fraction of the shelf space. “The shots open up doors where big bottles of cold-pressed juice weren’t able to get into,” Wilbur said. “It gives us a lot more opportunity to get our brand out there.”

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Brand News

Shots

First Aid Shot Therapy (FAST) added

several major retail partners this year including CVS, 7-Eleven, and Casey’s General Store, in addition to releasing two new SKUs: FAST Sleep, a liquid sleep aid, and FAST Allergy, created to relieve symptoms of allergies, hay fever and the common cold. TruEnergy, which began as a crowdfunded project on Kickstarter, launched its first product, a “sport shot” aimed at athletes that contains green tea, green coffee bean and coconut water, available in citrus mango flavor. The company also secured investment from SOSVentures and Crimson Capital and signed Ottawa Senators goaltender Mike Condon as an endorser. 5-hour Energy has added a new SKU

that contains 21 g of protein, less than one gram of sugar and 100 calories per 6 oz. bottle. 5-hour Energy Protein comes in four flavors: Berry, Peach Mango, Grape Extra Strength, and Berry Extra Strength.

Brand News Sponsored by:

juice shots called Youth, which includes sea buckthorn and Baobab powder. The brand is currently available at Whole Foods stores in several regions. Shotz Natural Energy has launched in

three SKUs aimed at specific functions and demographics: Shotz Natural uses only natural ingredients, Shotz Energia is targeted towards Hispanic consumers and Shotz Go-Time energy is formulated to appeal to millennials. Tinley Beverage Company. Launched

in November, Hemplify, a new sugarfree, zero calorie energy shot, contains hemp stalk extract and medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil. Kuli Kuli debuted its Moringa Green Energy Shots, made with the nutrientrich moringa plant native to Haiti, at the San Francisco Fancy Food Show in January. Developed in collaboration with Whole Foods, the shots are available at all 420 of the store’s retail locations.

I Am Skinny, a 3 oz. shot designed to

help with weight management, now includes Super CitriMax, a patented hydroxyl citric acid water extract from Garcinia Cambogia. Forto, makers of 2 oz. coffee energy shots, is launching two new SKUs – Vanilla and Mocha – made with organic milk that are shelf stable for 12 months and contain 200 mg of caffeine added through the cold brew process. Life Support launched a second SKU called Red Label Recovery Shot, a caffeinated version of the original formula that features no sugar and a new berry flavor. The product opened in 23 new retailers this year, including 7-Eleven and Mapco. KOR Shots, based in Malibu, Calif., added a new SKU to their line of 1.7 oz.

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Saratoga Juice Bar. In June, New York-based Saratoga Juice Bar debuted a line of of 2 oz. cold pressed juice shots available in three flavors: Turmeric Blast, Wheatgrass Tropic and Hot Beets, all of which are available at all Wegmans stores. The Pickle Juice Company, makers of the 100% Natural Extra Strength Pickle Juice Shot, announced expanded distribution in Central America, South America and Australia this October. Rhino Rush Energy has two products

entering their fourth year on the market: Rhino Rush, an herb-based energy shot that contains ephedra, and Rhino Relax, formulated to relieve body stress and restlessness.

Conference Overview Following Error, Brewers Association to Change GABF Verification Process By Chris Furnari The biggest news from this year’s Great American Beer Festival wasn’t who took home an award, but rather who didn’t. Hours after the Brewers Association handed out 286 medals to 254 different breweries, festival organizers discovered a critical error: Ohio’s Fat Head’s Brewery, which earlier in the day had been crowned

Karl Strauss entry prior to announcing the awards. As soon as we realized the error, in the hours immediately following the awards ceremony, we worked to correct it.” The mixup stemmed, in part, from a complicated set of beer submission criteria that restricts companies with multiple locations or multiple

the “Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year,” was actually beat out for the award by Karl Strauss Brewing Company. The reason? Karl Strauss, based in San Diego, had incorrectly submitted its entries as part of the “Mid-Size Brewpub” category, rather than Mid-Size Brewing Company, and festival organizers neglected to recategorize them. Strauss produced more than 75,000 barrels in 2015; the Mid-Size Brewpub category has a production range of between 750 and 1,500 barrels. Festival organizers didn’t catch the error until after winners were announced, according to BA chief economist Bart Watson. “Unfortunately, this was a mistake by the Brewers Association,” Watson wrote to BevNET. “The BA does review all entries, but regrettably we missed making the needed re-categorization of the

craft brands from entering more than 20 beers into the competition. Products from each brewing location are also scored individually. As a result of the confusion, Watson said the BA would “implement changes to our processes for brewery category verification before competition judging and awards take place” in 2017, but he didn’t outline what those changes would look like. GABF 2016 By the Numbers: • 60,000 attendees sampled 3,800+ beers from 780 breweries who poured at the festival. • 1,752 breweries, from 50 States and Washington D.C. entered the competition • 264 judges from 12 different countries sampled 7,227 beers from U.S. breweries. • The American-Style India Pale Ale category had the highest number of entries at 312

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Beer’s Big Deal MegaBrew Deal dominates conversation at National Beer Wholesalers Association convention. By Jeff Cioletti The rapidly changing distribution landscape has been an ongoing theme at the annual National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) convention for years. But no previous editions have been staged as close to the epicenter of such a seismic shift as the 2016 event With beer distributors converging on Chicago in late September, just two weeks before Anheuser-Busch InBev closed

its entire U.S. business–selling it to the other partner in the JV, Molson Coors. MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley sought to assure distributors in the audience that everything would be, pretty much, business as usual. “The face of MillerCoors and our brands will not change,” Hattersley said during an on-stage conversation with Purser.

NBWA president and CEO Craig Purser and MillerCoors CEO Gavin Hattersley

on its $100 billion-plus acquisition of its closest competitor, SABMiller, the acquisition dominated the conversation. “I don’t want to say [the deal] was all-consuming, but it was very consuming for the better part of a year,” NBWA president and CEO Craig Purser told BevNET. “It’s watershed. It’s the biggest deal in the beverage industry ever and probably ever will be.” One of the biggest unsettled outcomes related to the transaction continues to be how much it will impact the U.S. market. AB InBev has insisted that the acquisition has little to do with the U.S. and much more to do with its presence in the rest of the world, and it divested of SABMiller’s 58 percent share of the MillerCoors joint venture–

Hattersley also reaffirmed his support for the three-tier system, noting that “no one knows the local markets better than distributors do.” But there’s still considerable anxiety related to the AB InBev/SABMiller deal, particularly in the craft segment. On day two of the general session, Purser sat down with Brewers Association CEO Bob Pease, who voiced some of the concerns of his organization’s member companies. “In a perfect world, we‘d have a respite from these megamergers,” Pease said. “Our members are not afraid to compete against ABI in the marketplace, but at the same time, we worry about the structure of the U.S. beer marketplace and U.S. beer industry.”

Expo East 2016 Recap By Ray Latif Letting in more attendees than ever before, the Natural Products Expo East trade show was held at the Baltimore Convention Center from Sept. 21-24. The show included over 28,000 attendees and 1,450 exhibiting brands. Beverage executives who spoke with BevNET praised bustling attendance as well as an uptick in distributor and retailer interest as well. A showcase for emerging and fast-growing beverage trends, Expo East 2016 most prominently demonstrated the continued evolution of cold brew coffee and the swelling ranks of brands participating in the space. Approximately 25 cold brew coffee companies were showing their products at

the event, and each attempted, via formulation, packaging, or ingredient sourcing to show a difference from their competitors and from what’s currently on the market. Most unlike previous iterations of the natural foods convention, kombucha exhibitors were plentiful at Expo East 2016. Executives from a few of those companies – which include both established brands with national aspirations and regional players that are relatively new to the market – indicated that their presence at the show was reflective of growing demand for kombucha among consumers along the East Coast. Extending a growing category, some cold-pressed juice brands introduced new products that address various day part and use occasions for both natural and conventional channel consumers. Brand extensions include juice blends made with bleeding-edge and functional ingredients, as well those that are formulated with reduced sugar and calorie counts in mind, including drinking vinegars, juice-infused waters, and shot-based products.

FUNCTIONAL INGREDIENTS

NACS Illustrates C-Store Tradewinds

For

By Martín Caballero A wide range of beverage products and exhibitors were on hand at this year’s National Association of Convenience Stores Show, hosted on Oct. 18-21 at the Georgia World Congress in Atlanta, exemplifying the diverse and transitive state of non-alcoholic beverages within the c-store channel. Tradewinds blowing from the natural and conventional grocery channels continue to push better-for-you products towards c-store shelves. A prominent example was in Nestle’s bottom-up revamp of its Nestea iced tea line, launching in 2017. Responding directly to consumers’ shifting preferences, the new Nestea “slow brew” line features six SKUs – three unsweetened and three fruit flavors sweetened with stevia and cane sugar – along with a new logo and new proprietary bottle. Added functionality and convenience were two other consumer demands which brands sought to meet at NACS. Some addressed the former by adding protein to established categories; Nesquik’s new line of protein-boosted milks, with 23 grams per bottle, positions the brand as a healthy lifestyle drink, while High-Brew showcased a new cold brew coffee SKU infused with 12 grams of protein.

BEVERAGES

Vitamins:

A, D2, D3, E, K1, K2 – Oil-Soluble and Water-Soluble – Liquid and Powder Forms

Cocosol:

Specialty formulation for coconut water fortification

Natural Colors Omega 3 Oils Bioflavonoids Phytosterols Pectins

Two c-store success stories of recent times – Bai and Body Armor – used NACS to showcase the results of their growth. The former unveiled a new line of sparkling drinks, sweetened with a proprietary blend of erythritol and stevia extract, called Bai Black, and announced that singer/actor Justin Timberlake had joined the company as an investor and “Chief Flavor Officer,” while the latter signaled its intent to continue building within the hydration category with an electrolyteinfused “SuperWater” and a low-calorie SKU called Body Armor Lyte.

Proprietary Blends Contact us today for samples or information

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www.morretec.com

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4SOME smoothies - Plant powered protein smoothies

Avitae introduces ZÜM XR Extended-Release Energy Drinks

4SOME HEALTH

Avitae USA, LLC

4SOME smoothies combine fruits, vegetables, seeds and wholegrains - a 4SOME of nutrition in one package! Dairy, wheat, gluten and soy free with no added sugar and 10 grams of vegan friendly protein in each 8oz bottle. Available in 4 delicious flavors.

ZÜM XR by Avitae is a line of lowercalorie energy drinks featuring exclusive, patented bead-based technology that delivers extendedrelease caffeine to give consumers longterm energy for up to four hours without any crash or unhealthy additives.

ALO Drink - New Flavor ALO Drink by SPI West Port Inc ALO has a new addition to its beverage line, ALO Spring! ALO Spring blends the powerful flavors of Blueberry, Cranberry, Mulberry and Grape along with real aloe vera straight from the leaf and other all-natural, Project Verified Non-GMO ingredients.

TURVEDA Turmeric Curcumin Sparkling Beverage

ICONIC Grass Fed Protein, Taste the Difference Be Well Nutrition, Inc. ICONIC Protein is 20 grams of high quality grass fed protein, 3 grams of natural sugar including organic blue fair-trade agave, and only 130 calories. Great for a light breakfast, snack, and post workout.

Black Medicine Iced Coffee Now in Cans

Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar Miracle Cleanse Concentrate 32 fl oz Bragg Live Food Products Add to water for a great tasting beverage/cleanse to enjoy anytime or as a meal replacement. Great for all ages. This natural concentrate is a unique blend of Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, organic honey, organic lemon juice and organic cayenne. BRU Broth new bone broth beverage line

Ayurvedix Inc

Black Medicine

BRU Broth

Sparkling Turmeric Curcumin beverage w/Ginger & Black Pepper. Each 12 oz. bottle contains 200 mg of Curcumin. Also, blended with black pepper to enhance bioavailability of Curcumin. To sum it up, it’s herbs, spices, and sparkles!

Robust, intense, bold flavor. Now in 9.5 oz. aluminum cans, for convenience and low cost. Brewed hot in an oxygen-free environment, then cold pressed to extract maximum flavor for a very strong product. Cold Coffee. Intensified.

First organic ready-todrink cold pressed Bone Broth Beverage line, is Gluten-free, Paleo approved, USDA Organic Certified. Now available via UNFI.

Get More From Your Water

Blue Buddha Organic Wellness Tea

AQUAhydrate

Blue Buddha Tea, LLC

The perfect package for at home and the gym, AQUAhydrate’s new 1 Gallon jug is now the fastest-growing large format high pH water. The new size contains AQUAhydrate’s high performance benefits that let consumers get more from their water, all in a package perfectly suited for the fridge and the weight room. AQUAhydrate’s benefits come from a powerful synergy between electrolytes, taste, and alkalinity, with AQUAhydrate having 2x more electrolytes than leading electrolyte-enhanced waters; a pure, great taste that fuels your performance lifestyle; and elevated alkalinity to bring your body back to balance. AQUAhydrate is also available in 500ml, 700ml sports cap, 1L, and 1.5L sizes, and can be found at retail locations across the U.S. and at www.AQUAhydrate.com

In Ayurvedic tradition, dating back thousands of years, the Blue Buddha created drinkable elixirs to heal the body, mind and spirit. Today, Blue Buddha combines healthy green tea, fruit extracts and beneficial herbs for a refreshing tea that promotes heightened acuity, immunity and vitality. Our teas contain Ashwagandha, Maitake Mushroom and Indian Gooseberry (Amla), which were traditionally used in Ayurveda to help sharpen focus, counteract the effects of stress, and support the body’s immune system and cardiovascular function. Blue Buddha is certified Organic, GMO-free and contains only 40 calories per 14oz bottle. Unique flavors include, Cherry Lavender, Raspberry Hibiscus, Blueberry Rose and Lemon Elderflower. Blue Buddha is available for national distribution by KeHe, UNFI and other leading distributors. Contact us at 630 861 0422 or at guru@bluebuddha-tea.com.

54 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

BluePrint Kombucha Drinks

Brew Dr. Kombucha Announces Seasonal Rotator Program

BluePrint Organic

BREW DR. KOMBUCHA

BluePrint is proud to introduce our new Kombucha Drinks, available in 14-fluid ounce glass bottles. This exciting new line addition combines our signature organic cold-pressed juice with the power of fermented tea. With over three varieties to choose from, they are a delicious and functional all-in-one drink that aids in digestion and supports energy as well as your metabolism.

Vanilla Oak is the first ever seasonal offering from Brew Dr. Kombucha. This Winter Seasonal is the beginning of a permanent rotating seasonal program. The company will launch a new offering for sale October to April, and another for sale May - September. This intriguing new flavor is standard operating procedure for the team at BDK, whose current line includes the unique recipes employed in flavors like Citrus Hops, Lemon Ginger Cayenne, and Clear Mind (rosemary, sage and mint). Brew Dr. Kombucha is part of Townshend’s Tea Company, which operates 8 retail teahouse locations where it serves over 120 varieties of loose leaf tea. Those teahouses act as testing grounds for new tea blends and kombucha flavors alike. The company takes a whole-ingredient approach in all production, never adding juices, extracts, or any other flavoring agents. “We’re tea people. We believe in the art behind the flavor,” explains Founder Matt Thomas. Vanilla Oak is a kombucha made from steeping high-quality black tea with hand-scraped vanilla beans and oak staves commonly used in the distillery world. The company plans to launch this first seasonal effort close to home in western states only. Future rotators will achieve full US and Canada distribution alongside the company’s current 9 permanent skus.

Flavors include: Sweet Heat, Miss Tang and Raise the Roots. Exciting new flavors to come! All Kombucha drinks are Certified USDA Organic, Certified Gluten Free and Kosher. BluePrint is a pioneer of cold-pressed juices and juice drinks that provide functional nutrition. Under each signature blue cap is a delicious blend of pure, organic ingredients that serve as a great way to support energy on-the-go and provide a natural recharge. BluePrint is continuously innovating and is committed to helping consumers lead healthier, more energy-filled lives. Visit www.blueprint.com for more information. Your BluePrint for a vibrant life.

BluePrint 12 oz. Crafted with Cold-Pressed

Elemental and Intentional Flavor Lines Now Organic

BluePrint Organic

Buchi Kombucha Buchi is a raw probiotic kombucha made by fermenting a blend of Numi black tea and American grown Yaupon Holly. Our tribe keeps the tradition of craft kombucha alive to Cultivate The Culture – both by brewing billions of beneficial bacteria in each bottle and nourishing a thriving human culture to engage in community centered commerce. Our Elemental Line embodies our primal core, 4 flavors reflecting our connection to the natural world. Earth: a roasted Appalachian root tonic, Air:mint and echinacea, Fire: ginger and spices, and Water: watermelon juice, coconut water and American elderberry.

BluePrint, a leader in developing cold-pressed juices and juice drinks, is excited to share our new line of 12oz. Crafted with Cold-Pressed juice. These unique flavors blend the great taste and function of BluePrint cold-pressed juice with approachable and delicious ingredients like mango and banana. Inspired by our classic BluePrint 16 oz. cold-pressed juices, our vibrant 12 oz. juices are perfect for those on-the-go, looking for something portable, functional and fun. Choose from six delicious and nutritious flavors including, Motion Potion, with 10 grams of total sugar; Beet Goes On, an excellent source of Vitamins A &amp; C; Grass Monkey, a good source of potassium, Go ManGo, an excellent source of Vitamins A &amp; C; Lemon Yay, an excellent source of Vitamin C; and Lime Lifter, also an excellent source of Vitamin C. All flavors are Certified USDA Organic, Non GMO Verified, Certified Gluten Free,Vegan and Kosher. Visit www.blueprint.com for more information.

Our Intentional Line speaks our values into the world: Sovereign: ginger, peaches and sorghum molasses; Seed: turmeric, coconut water and pineapple juice and Avonlea: orange, mango and sea buckthorn. To catalyze action, 5 cents of every bottle sold supports a partnered non-profit generating over $18,000 for social change and growing. All of our flavors are now USDA Certified Organic and are brewed with medicinal herbs and cold-pressed fruit juices. We’re not business people who saw an opportunity in an expanding category. We’re like-minded individuals living and working in community to craft kombucha how we like it: wholesome, robust and delicious. May Buchi Nourish your - Thirst for Life

Your BluePrint for a vibrant life. BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Natural and Functional RePear – pear juice with pulp and natural herbs

PLANT INSULIN Beverages & Teas

Cansi US Inc. CARELA

1,000 Years of Chinese Restorative Wisdom in Every Bottle Pear with natural herbs is known in Traditional Chinese Medicine “Bintan Dwenli”, which is an ancient recipe that has been enjoyed for centuries in China. Chinese mothers would use this recipe for their family instead of giving them medicines when they catch a cold, have a cough or sore throat. This approach is still popular today. Chinese Medicine strongly values living in balance and in the body’s ability to self heal. We use this idea to create RePear so that we could share the ancient Chinese wisdom with people around the world.

Polypeptide-p (Plant Insulin) from Bitter Melon (Karela), combined with green tea for flavor. Clinical Study completed on humans. No artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors. SRP $2.79 for 12 oz bottle. Collaboration with American Diabetes Association.

Chameleon Cold-Brew Bottles Up Iconic Texas Pecan New Concentrate Chameleon Cold-Brew

RePear starts with freshly picked pears, gently cooked and pressed to a pulp. Then we combine it with lily bulb, honeysuckle, licorice root and monk fruit, the traditional Chinese herbs chosen for their taste and effectiveness. Nature put the goodness into pears and herbs. We put them in a bottle.

The nation’s original purveyor of bottled cold-brew coffee offers a taste of the Lone Star State in its 32 oz. Texas Pecan concentrate. Retailing for $9.99, the concentrate can make approximately eight servings of a nutty, buttery caffeinated drink.

RePear is packed with nutrients and tastes great. Not from Concentrate. No Preservatives or Artificial Flavoring. No Cholesterol. Gluten Free Ingredients Shelf stable for flexible merchandising, RePear is available in five delicious flavors: Original, Honey, Low Sugar, Monk Fruit and Chrysanthemum. For more information, please visit us at www.drinkrepear.com CELSIUS HEALTHY ENERGY

Chobani Greek Yogurt Drink

CELSIUS HOLDINGS, INC.

Chobani, Inc

Cold-Brew at your Convenience with Chameleon's Bag in Box Chameleon Cold-Brew Chameleon's Bag in Box packs 32 servings of organic cold-brew into a fridge-friendly box. Available in black concentrate for $25, now you can get even more of the bold flavor of air-roasted Arabica coffee made with famous Texas Hill Country water. Brand New Cheribundi Protein! Cheribundi Inc. Cheribundi Protein delivers tart cherry benefits while also offering enhanced muscle recovery. Each serving contains 40 tart cherries plus an added 8 grams of vanilla whey protein to fuel your body after workouts & maximize your athletic performance.

Introducing Drink Chobani Beverage If being busy was a sport, you would be its champion. But being busy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste or nutrition. Introducing Drink Chobani beverage: a deliciously creamy Greek Yogurt drink that will keep you rejuvenated on the go. Real Fruit, Real Delicious Drink Chobani beverage comes in four delicious flavors today: Straw’Nana, Mix’t Berries, Mango, and Apple Veg. And we are excited to announce four new flavors shipping in January 2017 including: Vanilla, Peach, Pina Colada and Lemon Lime. And with only natural ingredients and real fruit, Drink Chobani beverage has 1/3 less sugar than other yogurt drinks* — plus 14g of protein per serving.

56 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Reintroduced Cheribundi Relax

COCO5: Natural, refreshing, hydration in 6 delicious flavors

CORE Hydration introduces 1.3L bottle and 16.9oz 6-Pack

New unique Coconut Water Organic Energy Drink!

Cheribundi Inc.

COCO5

CORE Nutrition

DARK DOG ORGANIC

Cheribundi Relax delivers tart cherry benefits while also serving as a natural sleep aid. Relax combines the melatonin in tart cherries with green tea extract & Valerian root to create a natural alternative to the sleep aids in your medicine cabinet.

COCO5 successfully fills a void in the coconut water & hydration beverage markets by creating a product that is all-natural, healthy & delicious, & allows consumers to take advantage of the benefits of coconut water - without sacrificing taste.

Starting 2017, CORE Hydration brings you two new ways to enjoy our Perfectly Balanced water. Introducing our new 1.3L bottle and 6-pack of 16.9oz bottles.

The first organic energy drink made of coconut water with a great Piña Colada light flavor. It is USDA Certified and Non-GMO verified. It contains seven vitamins, its ingredients are high in antioxidants, and it is only 50 calories.

Cor de Coco coconut iced coffee

Coco Community

CORE Organic releases two new flavors

World's Only Pure, Balanced, Oxygenated, Light, Cellular Water

Coco Community

Cor de Coco

CORE Nutrition

Divinia Water

Coco Community is a new artisanal coconut water, available nationwide. It’s made from Thailand’s delicious, nutty and naturally sweet Nam Hom coconut, is certified organic, non-GMO and Fair for Life, sold in PET and supports local grower initiatives.

Cor de Coco is a naturally flavored and allergen friendly iced coffee made with 100% Arabica bean cold extracted coffee, pure coconut milk, coconut water and coconut blossom sugar. A delicious taste we love and hope you do too.

Enjoy two new Perfectly Organic flavors: Blueberry and Strawberry Banana. New in 2017, CORE Organic is offering two new flavors of our USDA Organic, fruit infused beverages with only 5 calories and less than 1 g of sugar per serving.

Divinia is the only bottled water to encompass these unique benefits: pure (0.00 ppm) pH balanced water with 102% oxygen, low deuterium, & scientifically proven to be the same water found in organic cells (like fruit) for unparalleled hydration.

World’s First Single-Origin Chocolate Milk

Chicago Draft Style Hand Crafted Sodas

Cocoa Metro

Cool Mountain Beverages, Inc.

We are so thrilled to talk to you about the world’s first organic singleorigin chocolate milk. Your customers are about to enjoy some of the finesttasting chocolate flavors, carefully coaxed from 100% Fair Trade Peruvian cocoa beans. The beans are artfully fermented, roasted, and prepared for your chocolate milk by artisanal European chocolatiers. Just like a premium single-origin chocolate bar, this chocolate drink provides a singular chocolate flavor profile found nowhere else. Close your eyes and discover flavor notes of caramelized sugar and rich chocolate. 9 out of 10 people who wanted to be doctors agree — this chocolate milk will hug your chocolate soul. This new organic chocolate milk joins our classic premium Belgian chocolate milk that boasts a rich, deep Belgian cocoa taste. A healthy dose of the best Belgian chocolate, fresh dairy milk, real sugar, and natural vanilla give you a dark Belgian chocolate milk that answers your serious chocolate cravings. You know how dangerous unanswered chocolate cravings can be. We sampled chocolate milks across the country looking for a chocolate milk that used loads of high quality chocolate. We couldn’t find anything so we decided to craft some ourselves. We are happy to introduce you to the results of our cravings.

Chicago Draft Style began life as a frothy, creamy, rich Root Beer, produced and poured straight out of a keg for local events and universities throughout the Chicagoland area. Each event produced a greater demand for our signature draft style soda, so we decided to put it in bottles and expand the brand. Today, we offer our “Select 6.” Beyond the original Root Beer, we have Ginger Beer, Cream and Orange Cream soda, Black Cherry and Ginger Ale, “The Champagne of Craft Sodas” as the flavors for the Chicago Draft Style line. Chicago Draft Style is a hand crafted carbonated soda; using only the finest naturally caffeine ingredients and made with pure cane sugar. We hand selected our recipes and carefully formulated them to exact the fullest taste and create a beverage that best represents the spirit and lifestyle of this great city. Chicago Draft Style comes in 12 oz glass bottles, 24 pack cases and naturally caffeine free, pure cane sugar bag and box. Visit us at www.chicagodraftstyle.com and learn the whole story. BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

AQUA Organic Flavored Sparkling Water from Don Sebastiani & Sons

DRY Sparkling Launches Fuji Apple DRY Nationwide

Don Sebastiani & Sons AQUA is a delicious and refreshing organic, low calorie sparkling water range in three flavors: Java, Kola and Mocha. 45mg of organic caffeine is included in each 12oz glass bottle containing only 20 calories per bottle. Drink AQUA to Refresh Better! Hydrate to Live....Drink Life!

PACKAGING: 16.9oz and 20oz., Drink Life is a new premium Alkaline Water for health minded persons. It hydrates the body, balances the pH, enhances the immune system, flushes body waste effectively to detoxify. energizes and so much more... Limited Edition Ginger DRY Sparkling, 750 mL DRY Soda Co. Ginger DRY Sparkling is bold, spicy, festive, and has far less sugar than the other ginger beverages on the market. Pairs beautifully with holiday dishes and seasonal cocktails. Available Holiday 2016 via UNFI, KeHE & DSD and stores nationwide. Limited Edition Cranberry DRY Sparkling, 750 mL DRY Soda Co. Cranberry DRY Sparkling is tart, merry, bright, with clean ingredients and far less sugar than other cranberry drinks. Mix & pair with holiday meals and cocktails. Avail. Holiday 2016 via UNFI, KeHE & DSD and select retailors nationwide.

fairlife Introduces fairlife SuperKids

DRY Soda Co.

evian

fairlife llc

Full bodied and elegant, Fuji Apple DRY celebrates the sweet, crisp taste of one of the world’s most beloved apples, without artificial flavors or colors. This DRY flavor pairs perfectly with comfort foods and fine spirits. Sold in 4-pk glass bottles

New evian 750 mL bottle with its easy to open sport cap for hydration throughout the day.

High quality, lactose free, ultra-filtered milk containing 125mg DHA Omega-3, 12g protein per serving and 50% less sugar than ordinary milk. An excellent source of vitamins A,C,D and E.

EarthWater expands to 10 SKU's; launches on Amazon Exclusives

Drink Life Beverages, Inc.

evian Sport Cap 750 mL/25 oz. PET

Introducing EVIVA Collagen Protein Water in three flavors

Feel Good Relaunch

EarthWater, Inc.

EVIVA

Feel Good

Earthwater is a manufacture or Mineral-Infused High Alkaline Beverages. Current product FulHum - 12 Pack Original Formula, ZenFul - 12 Pack Variety Pack, ZenFul - 4 Pack - Variety Pack and FulHum Concentrate - 30 Pack Sachets.

We take water which we need to drink every day, and add collagen protein with a hint of flavor to make a delicious and refreshing drink with benefits. Collagen protein is essential to healthy skin, hair, bones and joints.

Feel Good is a zero calorie RTD Iced Tea in 6 exotic flavors. Now Naturally Flavored. Feel Good has also rebranded their labels to differentiate flavors and pop off the shelf. Feel Good was good before, now it’s great!

The next generation multipack. evian 4-pack of 1.25 L/42 oz. bottles PET

evian evian prides itself on its innovations: 1st plastic bottle, 1st crushable bottle, 1st facial spray, among others. In 2017, evian will introduce the next generation of multipack. After months of research and development, evian will launch in the US the shrink-free pack. The plastic film is replaced by adhesive dots that glue the bottles together to form a 4-pack, making it easy to handle, carry, and open. evian developed this 4-pack in an effort to further reduce waste and be more convenient. Available across the US spring 2017. evian bottles are 100% recyclable. evian is naturally pure and sourced from the French Alps.

58 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

FitPro GO! The best high-protein RTD you've never had! FitPro FitPro Go! was released in April and is already getting 'best of class' reviews from publications, gyms, and fitness fans nationwide who made the switch. Why? Totally unparalleled taste, superior digestibility, and all natural formulation ! FORTO Coffee Energy Shots Introduces Organic Milk Flavors FORTO Introducing 2 new SKUs made with real organic milk – Vanilla and Mocha. Both 2oz. SKUs are shelf-stable (12 months) and will retail at checkout in racks or on-shelf, line-priced with other energy shots. They are creamy, delicious, and effective.

OXiGEN

GET YOU SOME OF THAT!

Formula Four Beverages (USA) Inc.

Gas Monkey Energy

OXiGEN is the premium brand of choice for health conscious consumers looking for an all-natural way to top up their oxygen levels and recover faster from physical and mental fatigue of all kinds. OXiGEN’s proprietary, active ingredient, ASO (activated stabilized oxygen), delivers 1,000 parts per million (PPM) of bio-available oxygen in each 20 fl. oz. bottle of water, setting it apart from other functional waters on the market today. (Most bottled water contains between five and 40 PPM of oxygen). Unlike oxygen waters of the past, the added oxygen in OXiGEN water is not compressed gas, but rather a highly stable O4 molecule, so it doesn’t dissipate from the bottle when it’s opened. The OXiGEN shot is a highly concentrated verson containing 5,000 PPM, or five times the oxygen of OXiGEN water. No sugar, no caffeine, no calories, and no unhealthy additives. Just life’s most important element in a bottle. OXiGEN

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Organic Ginger Shots - All Natural Juices (available in 6 varieties)

Hackamore - The First Premium Energy Drink In A Liter Bottle

Ginger Shots, Inc.

Hackamore Energy

Ginger Shots; the simplest (and tastiest) way to get organic ginger into your body. All natural, organic and kosher, Ginger Shots come in 6 delicious flavors, each with only 2 ingredients; cold-pressed organic juice and organic ginger juice.

Premium energy drink presented in a liter bottle and served as a shot (80mg caffeine in 2flozshot) Serve alone or with soda, juice or alcohol. Tastes like lime juice. Zero calories, Natural caffeine, No sugar/sweeteners, Gluten-Free, Vegan and Kosher

GLOW Beverages Premium Hydration

HARDCELL New Fruit Flavors!!

GLOW Beverages, Inc. GLOW Premium Sparkling Hydration is made using only the finest ingredients. Only 5 calories and our proprietary blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and electrolytes will keep you hydrated all day long.

GLOW Beverages Premium Energy

HARDCELL Energy Shots We are excited to introduce our new fruit flavors, Tropical Storm and Blue Hurricane! Offering the highest energy blend on the market, without compromising on flavor. Drink it alone or mix it in your favorite liquor! Available in 2oz and 750ml.

Volcanic Naturally Alkaline Artesian Water

Hawaii Volcanic Beverages

Hawaii Volcanic is a Mission focused brand that promotes “Living Aloha” by being positive, healthy, active, and kind to others and to the Earth. We are an ultra-premium natural beverage and life-style company that proudly manufacturers delicious wellness beverages from Hawaii. Our beverages are sustainably sourced from our private, abundant, naturally alkaline artesian mineral water aquifer. This pristine Source of Life has been receiving 2 billion gallons of daily recharge water from clean tropical rain and snow for a million years. The source is located at our new bottling plant on the wet and beautiful rainforest side of Hawaii Island. The water averages an alkaline pH level of 8.0, which helps to properly hydrate by reducing the high levels of acidity in our bodies. The water is responsibly packaged in beautiful, re-usable crystal glass bottles, and in earth friendly up-cycled (RPET) bottles. After years of building relationships of trust and respect with Hawaiian Kapuna (elders) and Konohiki (stewards of the resources) we are grateful and proud to have received their blessings for this important project. Through our PONO (Doing what’s right) programs, every Hawaii Volcanic beverage sold benefits Hawaii, the people of Hawaii, and the Earth. www.hawaiivolcanic.com

The Best Just Got Bigger!

Harmless Harvest

Harvest Soul Organic Juice

GLOW Beverages, Inc.

Harvest Soul Organic Probiotic Juices support a healthy digestive & immune system by blending whole fruits and vegetables with proven probiotics from GanedenBC30. High fiber for healthier sugar absorption; no concentrates or added sweeteners/flavors

GLOW Premium Sparkling Energy is made using only the finest ingredients. Only 5 calories and our proprietary blend of vitamins, antioxidants, and electrolytes will keep you energized all day long.

High Brew Coffee Creamy Cappuccino + Protein

Green Sheep Water — Still & Sparkling Green Sheep Water Bottled water, but waaaay better. Now available in both still and sparkling versions.

Harvest Soul Organic Probiotic Juice for Gut & Immune Health

Harmless Harvest, producer of the world’s first Fair for Life (FFL) certified organic coconut water, continues to grow its offerings with the introduction of the first Premium Coconut Water 32oz bottle. The new bottle size, developed in response to consumer feedback, will continue to deliver great-tasting coconut water with naturally occurring electrolytes. Harmless Coconut Water is the first and only beverage in the world using multi-step micro-filtration to preserve the integrity of taste and nutrients from the source, while keeping the highest quality and safety standard. The large format bottle contains 4 individual servings, encouraging consumers to enjoy great tasting hydration throughout the day. As part of the FFL commitment, Harmless Harvest contributes funds to an FFL Premium Fund Committee that allows Harmless Harvest to invest in local Thai farming communities, providing farmers and their communities with investments that support healthcare, education, and equality.

60 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

High Brew Coffee Our elevated Cold-Brew coffee combined with the power of protein! • 12g protein • 3g fiber • 100% Fair Trade • 2X Caffeine • Low Sugar • Low Acidity • Bold Flavor

GET MORE FROM YOUR WATER

HFACTOR Hydrogen Rich Water

Introducing IMMORDL Nitro Super Coffee

Hyedge, Inc

IMMORDL, INC.

HFACTOR is a whole new way to water - a refreshing and revolutionary beverage naturally infused with hydrogen, proven to increase performance, speed up recovery and boost overall wellbeing.

Powerful, Clean & Sustained Energy for an Elite Lifestyle! This SUPER COFFEE ELIXIR is perfect for anyone who needs to stay in action and on the move! The potent, organic super-herbs in this formula will give you sustained energy, without the crash.

I AM SKINNY INNOVATION

Inko’s Organic Energy

Inko’s Tea, LLC

Island Tree introduces Komodo Natural Energy Drink

I AM PRODUCTS, LLC I AM Skinny natural weight management shots now contain clinically studied Super Citrimax Garcinia Cambogia, Chromemate, Welltrim ig and vitamins to help control appetite, reduce body fat, boost metabolism, and maintain blood sugar levels.

Island Tree LLC Komodo is specially designed for those who care about what they consume. Komodo is fueled by electrolytes, only 50 calories, and made with all natural ingredients such as coconut water and acai berry. All great taste leading to a revitalizing feel!

Sparkling Spring Water with Organic Flavors

Fact: 65% of consumers are concerned about what is in traditional energy drinks. Inko’s believes you should drink what you need and avoid what you don’t. Unlike other Energy Drinks, Inko’s starts with healthy organic tea, packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. Then we add organic Ginseng, Guarana and botanicals. We leave out the chemicals and excess vitamins used in traditional energy drinks. The result is an organic, GMO-free, “Jitter Free” Energy Drink. Inko’s Energy has only half the sugar (24g) and calories (100) of conventional drinks. Best of all, Inko’s is non-carbonated, making it much more refreshing and thirst quenching. Available in three flavors: Blackberry, Mango and Citrus with new flavors coming in 2017. National distribution by KeHe, UNFI, DPI, VMC and other leading distributors. Contact us at 630 861 0422 or at guru@inkos-tea.com.

Push For Better With Karma!

Matcha LOVE

Ice River Springs ITO EN(North America) INC. Convenient on-the-go Matcha drink made with 100% pure Japanese matcha and brewed green tea. A natural energy drink with powerful antioxidants, matcha offers health benefits of consuming the entire leaf. Available in both Unsweetened and Sweetened. TEAS' TEA Organic – New Flavors ITO EN(North America) INC. An award-winning line of premium teas brewed with USDA Organic whole tea leaves. Sustainably sourced, TEAS' TEA Organic offers a refreshing & clean finish. Fuji Apple Black Tea & Mango Yuzu Green Tea join the Unsweetened & Lightly Sweetened line-up.

62 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Karma Culture Karma delivers both substance and style. Push for better health (with the push of a button) to release vitamins and probiotic nutrition. New Year. New Beverage. New You!

KeVita Master Brew Kombucha NEW Mango Habanero KeVita Master Brew Kombucha Energizing to the Core with 80mg of Organic Caffeine

Matcha LOVE Organic Teas-Unsweetened

Electrolife Clinical Grade Hydration Beverage

ITO EN (North America) INC.

Kuantum Brands, LLC

Electrolife is a clinical grade hydration beverage with sales in 7 countries, leader in its category, and rapidly expanding its US and international presence. Electrolife offers a true hydration solution for anyone who needs to replenish electrolytes lost due to illness, exercise, the effects of a hangover, outdoor work or heat exposure. Electrolife’s formula follows the World Health Organization’s guidelines for hydration solutions, uses reverse osmosis purified water and is sterile filled and sealed to guarantee optimum quality. Matcha LOVE is an award-winning line of authentically brewed green tea and 100% pure Matcha, Japan’s famed green tea powder made from premium Tencha leaves. Each bottle gives the energizing taste, full vitality and health benefits of consuming the entire tea leaf. Brewed with organic whole green tea leaves and Japanese matcha, each bottle contains 350 mg of Catechin tea antioxidants and Vitamin C. The high content of the amino acid L-Theanine in matcha gives a rich and delicious “umami” flavor, offering a tea experience like no other. Matcha LOVE Organics is conveniently packaged in shelf stable recyclable BPA Free PETE bottles(16.9 fl.oz). Three Unsweetened flavors(zero calories) of Traditional, Ginger and Vanilla are available, with a lightly sweetened option of Matcha Colada, a hybrid drink sweetened with coconut water. ¯ organic sports drink New launch - KRa

KRa¯ Drinks for Athletes, Inc.

Vita500 l Premium Vitamin C Enhanced Drink

Get in the Game with KRa Drinks for Athletes When it comes to your sports drink, don’t compromise, drink KRa! Four great-tasting flavors In-store and online at drinkkra.com and Amazon.com KRa for Play giveback program to support disadvantaged youth

ORGANIC HYDRATION • ELECTROLYTES • NO JUNK

Introducing Lemoncocco

Kwangdong USA Inc.

Lemoncocco

Asia's best-selling healthful vitamin drink has arrived in the United States. Refreshing and tasty Vita500 contains 500mg of antioxidant vitamin C in every bottle with no caffeine, taurine, and artificial colors or preservatives.

Featuring great packaging and the bold flavor of Sicilian lemons and a splash of coconut cream, Lemoncocco represents an entirely new beverage category inspired by the distinctive refreshment stands found along the streets of Rome, Italy.

Aloe Gloe

LIFEAID: A New Innovative Daily Supplement Blend for a Healthy Life L.A. Aloe, LLC

LIFEAID Beverage Co.

Aloe Gloe is a USDA Organic, low calorie and California produced Aloe Vera water that helps promote digestion, skin and immune health. Our 4 delicious flavors of Crisp Aloe, Lemonade, White Grape and Coconut, Aloe Gloe helps you Gloe from Within!

LIFEAID is a targeted blend of supplements formulated to help you thrive! Launching with a total line brand refresh, LIFEAID is a clean CSD replacement filled with Tumeric, Magnesium, Omega 3s, Vitamin C & a full B Complex. Supplement Your Lifestyle

BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Sparkling Drinking Vinegars LIVE Beverages For hundreds of years people have added vinegar to their favorite beverage to enjoy a host of benefits and experience what some describe as bright open energy! LIVE Sparkling Drinking Vinegars are a great tasting ready to drink wellness beverage!

MapleMama Craft Maple Spritzers Maple Mama Beverages LLC Imagine a Sweetener That's Good for You 100% Organic Maple syrup means no artificial ingredients or high-glycemic sugars, sparkling H2O, Fair Trade extracts. 54 Antioxidants/7 minerals and vitamins/70 calories. Vanilla and Coffee varieties. Organic.

Indulge In Timeless Flavors One Drop Coffee

F'in Delicious Cold Brew Coffees + Almondmilk New Formula

Marley Beverage Co.

Molly's Milk Truck Beverages

Combining bold Jamaican coffee, with the most decadent, timeless dessert flavors, One Drop treats you to moments of indulgence. Featuring our all new flavors, Banana Split, Chocolate-Vanilla Swirl, as well as our classics, Mocha and Vanilla.

F'in Delicious Cold Brew Coffees + Almondmilk are just that! The new packaging reflects upgraded premium formulas & these guilt-free indulgences are only 90 calories per 12oz bottle! All products are non-dairy, non-gmo, soy/ gluten/carrageenan-free!

trimino protein infused water

Moonshine Sweet Tea – 6 delicious flavors

Miami Bay Beverage

Moonshine Sweet Tea, LLC Packaging: 16 fl oz.

Moonshine Sweet Tea got started in 1946 out in the Texas Hill Country, near the ranching community of Mason, Texas. First developed as a concentrate by the Leo Cobb Porter family, their unique version of sweet tea was always brewed in the late evenings - and much sweeter and more robust than other teas. It didn’t take long for this secret family recipe to earn the title of an ‘outlaw brew’… and the name “Moonshine” was born. Based on our 70-year-old recipe, Moonshine Sweet Tea’s six delicious ready-to-drink flavors are still brewed in the same honest-to-God fashion—one kettle at a time—with the same bold standards that have governed the State of Texas for decades. Crafted with the perfect combination of organic black tea leaves, clean filtered water and 100% pure cane sugar— Moonshine is the original Texas Sweet Tea. Headquartered in Austin—we are Texas born, Texas brewed, and Texas sweet. From our family to yours, y’all enjoy! For more information regarding distribution, contact Kevin Conrad at (480) 980-5440 or Kconrad@moonshinesweettea.com The Original Long Island Iced Tea has a fresh new look! Long Island Ice tea Brand Don't worry, the cashier won't ask for your I.D - this isn't that kind of drink. A blend of authentic tea leaves & natural flavors, lightly sweetened with Raw Cane Sugar. It's a good thing there is no such thing as 'one too many'! 10 flavors, Non-GMO

A Naturally Refreshing Way to Relax - Introducing Mellow Mood

Mixwell - a new line of modern sodas, made for mixing

Nadi - USDA Organic Wild Rosehip

Marley Beverage Co.

Mixwell Beverage LLC

Nadi, LLC

A natural and refreshing way to relax, Mellow Mood, created by The Marley Beverage Co., helps give you the inner calm and clarity of mind to be fully present in the moment. Created with our signature herbal relaxation blend.

Mixwell is a range of premium sodas specially crafted to elevate spirits they are mixed with Mojave Grapefruit Soda, Dandelion Tonic Water and Young Ginger Ale, all flavors are inspired by the city they have been created in Los Angeles.

NADI, With only 9 calories and 135% of Vitamin C in each 10 oz bottle contains no sugars or preservatives. Made with organic, hand harvested Rosehips - berry like fruit of a wild rose plant. Nadi is a refreshing source of powerful nutrition.

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NatureWise Ashwagandha Infused Sparkling Teas NatureWise NatureWise Whole Body Vitality Drinks: Ashwagandha Infused Sparkling Organic Teas to Reduce Stress, Enhance Focus, Suppress Cravings & Improve Mood. Available in Berry Guayusa, Citrus Matcha & Tropical White Tea. Zero Calories, Zero Sugar, Non-GMO. XingTea is hitting the market with new, cleaner & brighter graphics.

Aspen Pure Water expands nationally

Onli Natural Sparkling introduces fresh labels and flavor New Age Beverage Corporation

Aspen Pure water is an artesian source water that comes directly from the Colorado Rocky Mountains with a perfect PH balance of up to 7.0. Aspen pure is lightly filtered, crisp, clean and packaged in an ergonomic bottle, now available nationwide.

Onli Natural Beverage Featuring a new and refreshing label design for 2016. Onli Natural offers seven chef inspired flavors, free from artificial ingredients. Our latest flavor, Raspberry Ginger, is a tasty blend of sweetly tart raspberries with a hint of ginger.

Blue Monkey Sparkles Like No Other

Made with pastureraised milk and fair trade ingredients, Organic Balance is a healthy protein shake that packs 16g of protein and 50% daily calcium into each 11oz bottle with no artificial sweeteners. Perfect for breakfast or light meal onthe-go.

Búcha Live Kombucha, Expanding Category Leadership

Ounce Water - 40oz, Premium Natural Spring Water

New Age Beverage Corporation

Ounce Water Do you know how much water you drank today? OUNCE WATER encourages you to drink 80 ounces of water per day, and we make achieving this goal easy by using the simple math of our OUNCE WATER 40 Ounce and 20 Ounce bottles of Premium Natural Spring Water

Búcha Live Kombucha, with its industry leading 9 months shelf life and mainstream taste profile that is preferred by more than 43% over competitors, organic Búcha is now expanding distribution nationally, with full marketing support expanding sales.

Following a successful exclusive test with a national retailer, Xing Energy is launching nationally in 4 outstanding flavors. Xing Energy is the first non-GMO energy drink, sweetened with pure cane sugar, loaded with B Vitamins and organic caffeine.

We use real organic milk, not chalky powders, to get 26g of protein in each 11oz bottle. Smooth and creamy, Organic Fuel delivers a near ideal ratio of nutrients for post-workout recovery. Lactose-free, gluten-free. Available in chocolate & vanilla.

Organic Valley

XingTea is a natural line of ready to drink green teas that gives consumers 13 great flavors of Tea and 4 great flavors of Juice drinks that everyone will enjoy. XingTea is made with cane sugar & honey and now NON-GMO. Xing sells in all segments.

New Age Beverage Corporation

Organic Valley

Organic Balance - milk protein shake, organic nutrition to go

NEW ATTITUDE BEVERAGE Corp

New Age Beverage Corporation

New Xing Energy (Healthier Altunitive) (4 Great Tasting Flavors)

Organic Fuel - high protein milk recovery shake

Nothing But Real launches Oat Chocolate & Protein Nothing But Real, LLC Oat Chocolate & Protein is the cleanest, most natural plant-based protein drink on the market. With a deeply satisfying chocolate taste, this great anytime hunger-buster has only 130 calories per 12 oz bottle. Non-GMO, nondairy, kosher, vegan.

66 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Good to Go - organic, pastureraised milk for on the go

Ounce Water - 20oz, Premium Natural Spring Water

Organic Valley

Ounce Water

Grab a bottle of Good to Go organic 1% milk and never worry about finding a delicious snack again. With 11 grams of protein per 11oz bottle, there's no better way to get nutrients you need and the energy to keep up with your day. Plain and Chocolate.

Do you know how much water you drank today? OUNCE WATER encourages you to drink 80 ounces of water per day, and we make achieving this goal easy by using the simple math of our OUNCE WATER 40 Ounce and 20 Ounce bottles of Premium Natural Spring Water

Peace Tea Introduces A New Bold & Flavorful Look

Ralph & Charlie's Juice Brand introduces a new package size.

PURPS ORGANIC

Purple Life Laboratories LLC

Peace Tea Beverage

Ralph & Charlie's Juice Brand

Peace Tea is pleased to unveil our new look. Flavorful, Bold & Refreshing! Our new 23oz can jumps off the shelf with a simple message of Peace, Tea & Happiness. Available in 7 great tasting flavors using only Natural Flavors & No Colors Added

Taste and Nutrition now comes in a new 33 oz PET Bottle. The superior flavor combinations of Ralph & Charlie's, Green Apple Pineapple Kiwi, Mango Carrot & Multivitamin now comes in a take home package. Great for supermarket shelves. Introducing REBBL Protein

PowerBar Clean Whey Protein Drink Premier Nutrition Corp.

REBBL A plant-based protein experience like no other, REBBL Protein delivers nourishment and clean fuel for any active lifestyle. Our optimized blend of plant protein and adaptogenic herbs support athletic performance and fuel recovery.

Made with 15g of whey protein, 0g sugar, 70 calories, and seven high quality ingredients, this protein beverage is a light, refreshing alternative to a traditional dairybased protein shake. Available in Berry Pomegranate and Fruit Punch flavors. Powell & Mahoney Craft Sparkling Mixers

Red Bull Editions Expansion

Powell & Mahoney

Red Bull North America

Packaging: 750ml Glass. Powell & Mahoney Craft Cocktail Mixers, a leader in the natural craft cocktail mixer space, introduces a new line of lightly sweetened sparkling cocktail mixers. Flavors include: Ginger Beer, Tonic, Mojito, and Spiced Grapefruit Tonic. The new lineup recently dominated the 2016 Spirits International Prestige competition’s “Carbonated Mixer” category – having won “Best in Class” for their Mojito, a Gold Medal for Ginger Beer, Silver for Spiced Grapefruit Tonic, and Bronze for Tonic.

Red Bull is expanding the successful Red Bull Editions line. Winning over new and existing consumers since 2013, the Red Bull Editions stand for taste and choice. Red Bull introduces new Red Bull Purple Edition Sugarfree and Red Bull Lime Edition Sugarfree on January 30, 2017, offering the functionality of Red Bull with the tastes of Acai Berry and Limeade, respectively. The introduction of Purple Edition Sugarfree and Lime Edition Sugarfree now provide consumers with the additional choice of sugar content, especially for those looking for flavor and low-sugar offerings. A resounding success this past summer, the limited edition Red Bull Summer Edition Kiwi Twist is returning as a permanent item on January 30, 2017 as the Red Bull Green Edition. The Red Bull Green Edition will offer the functionality of Red Bull with the taste of Kiwi Apple. Red Bull Energy Drink’s effects have been recognized worldwide by busy professionals, top athletes, college students and travelers on long journeys. Red Bull is available in 170 countries worldwide and 6 billion cans were consumed last year, two billion of those in the U.S. alone. An 8.4 fl. oz. Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine, equivalent to a home-brewed cup of coffee. For more information, visit energydrink-us.redbull.com.

SPINS, a division of Nielsen and the leading provider of retail consumer insights, analytics and consulting for the Natural, Organic, and Specialty Products industry, recently identified Powell & Mahoney #1 in Natural, #1 in Specialty, and the fastest growing mixer in grocery. Visit www.PowellandMahoney.comto learn more. Instagram: @powellmahoneycocktails BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

Environmentally responsible RETHINK Water RETHINK Brands RETHINK Water is premium, reverse osmosis filtered water with a perfectly balanced pH, packaged in a carton made of paperboard, a renewable resource.

Revive Kombucha Introduces Caffeine-free Wild Ginger Revive Kombucha The latest brew in Revive's Open Mic Series, Wild Ginger, is an invigorating, caffeine-free kombucha which pairs an all-ginger brew and its own unique live cultures with bright, fresh, cold-pressed lime and an extra helping of cold-pressed ginger.

DRAM Apothecary - Sparkling Bitter Waters - Citrus, Black, Lavender

Scheckter’s Organic Energy Green Teas 8.4 oz.

Scheckter’s Organic Beverages

Rocky Mountain Soda Co. DRAM has partnered with RMS to create a RTD version of their highly acclaimed bitters. These sparkling bitter waters are made using only organic and wild foraged Colorado herbs, and without using alcohol, synthetic dyes, flavorings, or preservatives. Introducing Shadetree Organic Lemonade Shade Tree Beverage Co, LLC ShadeTree Beverage Co is excited to launch its certified organic, low-calorie lemonades in Central Texas. Enjoy the signature flavors of Original and Strawberry, and know we're proudly delivering our 50 calorie/serving organic lemonades with a smile!

Rooibee Red Tea

NEW from Scheckter’s - two naturally different flavors - Scheckter’s Organic Energy Green Tea & Mint and Scheckter’s Organic Energy Green Tea & Ginger. Both flavors use the much loved 80mg of Scheckter’s Organic clean energy blend and are the perfect combination of sparking filtered water, organic green tea, organic lemon juice and a touch of organic raw cane sugar (only 85 calories per can). Scheckter’s Green Tea & Ginger is flavored with organic ginger extract giving it a delicious and zingy taste, while Scheckter’s Green Tea & Mint has organic spearmint extract making it particularly refreshing and winner of the Guild of Fine Foods 2016 Great Taste award!! Grow your energy drink sales by inviting “Foodies” back into the energy drink category with a brand that gives them a great tasting, refreshing and healthier way to energize.

Shamrock Farms introduces Cold Brew Coffee and Milk Shamrock Farms

Our Certified Organic, refreshing red tea is rich in antioxidants and is naturally caffeinefree. Rooibee Red tea gets it’s name and refreshing flavor from the rooibos (pronounced ROY-BOS) plant that grows only in South Africa. Rooibos is considered an herbal tea and contains very little tannins or bitter qualities giving it a subtle sweetness. Similar to green tea, red tea delivers antioxidants, including two unique only to rooibos. Red tea has been used to help calm the stomach, aid in muscle recovery and fight inflammation. This tea is a delicious and healthy option to stay hydrated. Our exciting flavor line up includes Sweet, Unsweet, Wild Berries, Summer Peach, Watermelon Mint and Half Red Tea and Half Lemonade. For more information or to order, email us at rooibee@rooibeeredtea or call (844) 311-6576. Our product can also be ordered on www.amazon.com 24/7!

68 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

With 2x the caffeine of regular coffee, Shamrock Farms introduces new readyto-drink Cold Brew Coffee and Milk. Made with 100% Colombian coffee beans and pure, fresh, Shamrock Farms milk with no added hormones; it’s a match made in coffee heaven. Fire Cider — Now USDA Certified Organic!

Sipp Eco Beverage Co. Introduces New Flavor, Ruby Rose Sipp Eco Beverage Co. Sipp Eco Beverage Co., creators of Sipp Sparkling Organics, released a new flavor, Ruby Rose, which consists of grapefruit, honey and rosemary extracts, sweetened lightly with agave. The flavor will soon be available in 12oz glass bottles. Slingshot Introduces New Labels

Shire City Herbals

Slingshot Foods

Shire City Herbals announces that all flavors of Fire Cider, the spicy, sweet and tangy apple cider vinegar and honey tonic, are now USDA Certified Organic. Fire Cider comes in three flavors: Original, Unsweetened, and African Bronze.

Slingshot's new labels highlight a consumer insight gained from thousands of interractions-Moms and Millenials love Slingshot because it is convenient, delicious food for their busy lives. We can be found in Whole Foods,Safeway, Club in NorCal.

New!

New Suja Drinking Vinegars

Solti Organic Beverages

Sweet'tauk Lemonade

Solti Suja Juice This Strawberry Balsamic pairing combines Apple Cider Vinegar with sweet strawberries, tangy balsamic, a squeeze of fresh lime juice plus 4 billion CFUs of vegan probiotics to support gut and immune health.

Sunniva - The World's 1st Super Coffee Sunniva Super Coffee

Finally, a glass bottled cold pressed juice! Our organic beverages are made from nutrient dense organic produce & superfoods, light filtered for ultimate freshness without thermal or pressure pasteurization then bottled in glass for pure taste without waste. Shown here is Organic Gingermade, Organic Charcoal Lemonade and Organic Pure Green. Each of these delicious liquids of vitality are produced in Solti’s incredible 15,000 square foot San Diego production plant which features a temperature and atmosphere controlled environment to ensure each bottle produced is of the utmost quality for the consumer. Solti’s products are available on the west coast throughout California. Be on the lookout for this brand as it expands throughout Northern California, the pacific northwest, Colorado and NYC. Solti.com • (949) 430-7999 • hello@solti.com Sparkling Green Tea with Grapefruit & Mint

Sri Lanka Gold Coconut Water

SOUND Sparkling Tea

Sri Lanka Gold

Crisp, clean sparkling tea // Unsweetened, Organic

Simply the best coconut water you've ever tasted. Forget everything you know about coconut water. Sri Lanka Gold Pure Premium King Coconut Water is delicately sweet, crisp and refreshing— with soft notes of coconut—and no aftertaste.

Sparkling Rose Tea with Lime & Cardamom

Steaz Unveils New Energy Packaging

SOUND Sparkling Tea

Steaz

Crisp, clean sparkling tea // Unsweetened, Organic

Steaz has introduced new packaging for its energy drink platform. The 4 SKU line of Berry, Super Fruit, Orange and Zero Calorie Berry will have a new look but the same great taste and clean boost of plant based energy, hitting shelves in early 2017.

70 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Organic Colombian coffee + 10 grams of grass-fed protein + coconut oil = Super Coffee. Started by student athletes to offer optimal taste, health, & energy Sunniva has crafted an empowering RTD brew that offers better energy for your mind & body. Sunshine Beverages Introduces New Flavor - Clementine Twist Sunshine Beverages, LLC Sunshine introduces Clementine Twist to round out its 3-flavor lineup. The pick-me-up drink of good energy has good ingredients like electrolytes, vitamins, natural flavors and organic caffeine; no high fructose corn syrup and is only 60 calories. Sunshine Beverages Introduces New Flavor – Blueberry Lemonade Sunshine Beverages, LLC Sunshine introduces Blueberry Lemonade to round out its 3-flavor lineup. The pick-me-up drink of good energy has good ingredients like electrolytes, vitamins, natural flavors and organic caffeine; no high fructose corn syrup and is only 60 calories.

Sweet'tauk Lemonade Tart lemonade from a sweet place, Montauk NY. Half the sugar, USDA certified organic, non-GMO Project Verified, fresh squeezed, cold pressed, never heated, HPP, lemonade in four distinct tart flavors.

Sparkling Ice Essence of Talking Rain Beverage Company Developed in response to consumer demand for healthier carbonated beverage alternatives, Essence of is available in four SKUs. The collection is fun and simple delivering a refreshingly lighthearted hint of flavor that will charm your taste buds. Just Chill Zero - Ginger The Chill Group Inc. Zero Sugar. Zero Calories. Zero Worries. We've taken real ginger and created our first crisp and refreshing Just Chill Zero Flavor. Just Chill Zero - Ginger has been carefully crafted to help reduce stress and increase focus.

Granny Squibb: Now certified USDA organic with new labels The Granny Squibb Company We make astonishingly delicious iced tea from the same ingredients used years ago by Granny Squibb herself. Our teas are now certified USDA organic, kosher & are naturally gluten free. We offer both sweetened and unsweetened versions of each flavor.

DRINKMARLEY.COM

MYBUCHA.COM

XINGTEA.COM

ASPENPURE.COM

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT TOM LEBON TLEBON@NEWAGEBEV.US 303 994 2152

Tickle Water introduces New Label Design and New Grape Flavor Tickle Water Tickle Water, a naturally flavored sparkling water targeting kids released their new Grape flavor. While keeping with their premium package, Tickle Water has redesigned their label with bold new fonts and layout to create a greater pop on shelf. Makers of Clearly Kombucha launch C Botanicals

TREO BIRCH WATER INFUSION

Ultima Replenisher - New Formula & New 10 Count Boxes

Treo Brands LLC Treo is a low calorie, organic, plant-based beverage infused with nutritious birch water which is hand-tapped in Vermont. It is a healthy, great tasting and hydrating drink which is totally on trend with what today’s consumers are looking for.

TURVEDA Sparkling Turmeric Curcumin Matcha & Black Pepper

Top Shelf Beverages

TURVEDA Turmeric

Top Shelf Beverages recently launched their newest product line, C Botanicals, a first-to-market line of fermented botanicals with probiotics. Each ingredient is chosen for its functionality and include turmeric, milk thistle, ginger, and holy basil.

Sparkling Turmeric Curcumin beverage w/ Matcha & Black Pepper. Each 12oz bottle has 200mg of Curcumin. Blended with black pepper to enhance absorption of Curcumin.

Vuka Natural Energy - New Flavor

Ultima Health Products, Inc

VUKA NATURAL ENERGY DRINKS

Ultima Replenisher formula is now stronger and has zero calories, no sugar or artificial ingredients, is vegan, sweetened with stevia leaf, made with real fruit flavors and plantbased colors. Now in 10-count box Flavor Trays!

New flavor and new function! Vuka THRIVE is a lightly carbonated starfruit pear flavored drink with antioxidant properties. Ingredients include Acai Fruit Extractive, Grape Whole Fruit Extract and White Tea Leaf Extract.

Verday Chlorophyll Water - 0 Cal. Shelf-Stable Green Drink Verday Chlorophyll Water Available in Watermelon, Coconut, Cucumber and Lemongrass Ginger, Verday quenches your thirst like water and provides antioxidant & cleansing benefits of Green Juice. 0 Calories, 0 Diet Sweeteners, 0 preservatives and 12 months shelf life!

Water Works Cactus Water Water Works Drinks Ambient plant water range by Water Works "Hydration with Purpose". Prickly pear cactus fruit water. 100% Natural, Not from Concentrate with no added sugar. Light & refreshing low calorie alternative to coconut water.

A “SUPERFRUIT” ORGANIC ENERGY SHOT/VITA-V ENERGY

VITA-V ENERGY LLC

VITA-V Introduces NEW “Superfruit” Organic ENERGY Shots that deliver a Healthy All Natural Energy Shot. Packed with Flavor combined with eye-catching packaging, a winning combination to drive trial and repeat purchases. Blended with Antioxidant infused Super-fruits, made with REAL FRUITS and Premium Organic Caffeine, VITA-V deliver a delicious, Clean, on-the-go energy shot. Flavors So Spectacular: Berry (Strawberries & Blueberries), Grape (Concord Grapes), and Original (Banana & Pear). All flavors are USDA Certified Organic, NON-GMO Verified, Gluten Free. VITA-V contains NO artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. For more information, Contact a Vita-V sales rep or contact sales@vitav.com or 630-999-8961.

72 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Water Works Watermelon Water

Wonder Fuel Coconut Oil MCT Superdrink (Organic, Vegan, Non GMO)

Water Works Drinks

Whole e Nature

Ambient plant water range by Water Works "Hydration with Purpose". Watermelon water with a hint of cranberry juice. 100% Natural, Not from Concentrate with no added sugar. Delicious and refreshing alternative to coconut water.

Inspired by Ancient Wisdom, Wonder Fuel brings you Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) from the purest organic coconut oil. Utilizing unique metabolic pathways, MCTs are converted by the liver into Ketones delivering rapid fuel to your mind and body.

WellWell Introduces New Label WellWell LLC New label that conveys the potent recovery benefits and function of organic watermelon, tart cherry, and biodynamic lemon, and introduces back panel window to visualize the juice inside.

fruitZips are energizing and refreshing supplemental beverages

Zoganic

The Leading Conference Series for the US Beverage Industry December 5–6 Santa Monica, CA

Nature knows best. And with Zoganic’s 100% organic products, so do you! Our fruit zips burst with natural nutrients, vitamins and are all organic. With our 4 variations of fruity flavors you get the whole source of the fruits used, maximizing the potential of its extraction. Each individual fruit contributes its own qualities. Pineapple is meticulously formulated to sooth the stomach, additionally, orange has a distinct quality to bolster natural immunities. Likewise, the coconut variation is formulated to deliver the extra stamina needed to power your day. At last, the multi. It contains wholesome, nutritious ingredients essential to your health. fruitzips are conveniently packaged in small sachets. These sachets are easy to carry around wherever you go. fruitZips are organic, natural and Non-GMO. Zoganic’s fruitZips nourishes and provides the sustained vitality our bodies deserve while at the same time providing you with a savory drink. It is an ultimate combination. So why guzzle down a bottle of unknown liquids for boost when you have the fruitZips? BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

4SOME HEALTH

Dr Depen Patel

London

Drew Pawlan

South San Francisco

Evan Cunningham

Los Angeles

(718) 412-9458

aquahydrate.com

Joe Gisondi

Cleveland

(888) 228-4823

goavitae.com

ALO Drink by SPI West Port Inc AQUAhydrate Avitae USA, LLC Ayurvedix Inc

CITY

STATE

PHONE NUMBER +00447859033064

(800) 223-4438

WEB SITE 4somehealth.com alodrink.com

Dev Chakrabarty

Hemet

(951) 491-9586

drinkturveda.com

Be Well Nutrition, Inc.

Valerie Garcia

San Clemente

(951) 675-6325

drinkiconic.com

Black Medicine

Chris Cooper

Oakland

5106361350

blackmedicine.com

Blue Buddha Tea, LLC

Willowbrook

(630) 861-0422

bluebuddha108.com

BluePrint Organic

Lake Success

(186) 677-4683

blueprint.com

(805) 453-2844

Bragg Live Food Products

Michael Launer

Santa Barbara

Michelle Schmidt

Portland

BRU Broth

Mary Butler

San Anselmo

(415) 847-2571

brubroth.com

Buchi Kombucha

Zane Adams

Weaverville

(828) 484-8229

drinkbuchi.com

Shijie Li

Portland

(503) 739-5798

drinkrepear.com

BREW DR. KOMBUCHA

Cansi US Inc.

Bragg.com brewdrkombucha.com

CARELA

Daniel Casanas

Miami

(800) 569-6941

carelafoods.com

Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Nicole Cheifetz

Boca Raton

(561) 276-2239

celsius.com

Austin

(512) 323-0345

chameleoncoldbrew.com

Sarah Theis

Geneva

(303) 909-6510

cheribundi.com

Chameleon Cold-Brew Cheribundi Inc. Chobani, Inc Coco Community COCO5 Cocoa Metro Cool Mountain Beverages, Inc Cor de Coco

New York, NY

(212) 364-0059

chobani.com

Hailey Tully

New York

(949) 294-7821

cococommunity.com

Angela Ricordati

Chicago

(312) 243-1115

coco5.com

Mike Dunford

St George

(617) 610-0186

cocoametro.com

Bill Daker

Des Plaines

(847) 344-2369

chicagodraftstyle.com

Brian Ugale

CORE Nutrition DARK DOG ORGANIC

(951) 543-3269

cordecoco.com

El Segundo

(855) 375-2673

core-hydration.com

Marianela Ancheta

Miami

(866) 822-3650

darkdog-organic.com

Divinia Water

Kiersten Landers

Idaho Falls

(208) 881-0296

eauduvisage.com

Don Sebastiani & Sons

Cameron Morris

Sonoma

(707) 933-1704

refreshaqua.com

Ronda Jackson

Largo

(844) 553-5433

drinklifebeverages.com

BreeAnna Marchitto

Seattle

(206) 652-2345

drysparkling.com

(469) 802-6266

Drink Life Beverages, Inc. DRY Soda Co. EarthWater

CJ Comu

evian

Addison

White Plains

Earthwater.com facebook.com/evian.unitedstates

EVIVA

Elaine Morrison

Los Angeles

(310) 433-1575

drinkeviva.com

fairlife llc

Erica Rosskamm

Chicago

(312) 624-9444

fairlife.com

Feel Good

Bill Sipper

Ramsey

(201) 962-9241

drinkfeelgood.com

FitPro Formula Four Beverages (USA) Inc. FORTO

Iron

Fairfield

Rita Konrad

Beverly Hills

(424) 284-2177

teamfitpro.com drinkoxigen.com

Kyle Pollack

New York

(216) 702-8839

fortocoffee.com

Gas Monkey Energy

Traci Carpenter

Dallas

(210) 275-3639

GasMonkeyEnergy.com

Ginger Shots, Inc.

Zeyad Moussa

Huntington Beach

(888) 410-1487

gingershots.com

Lanya Lyons

Rancho Cucamonga

(909) 256-8320

GlowBeverages.com

Chicago

(305) 771-1357

greensheepwater.com

Olivia Robinson

New York

(347) 681-6276

hackamoreenergy.com

Sandy Brown

Novi

GLOW Beverages, Inc. Green Sheep Water Hackamore Energy HARDCELL Energy Shots Harmless Harvest

drinkhardcell.com

San Francisco

(347) 467-0733

harmlessharvest.com

Rani Quirk

Marietta

(770) 355-2048

harvestsoul.com

Hawaii Volcanic Beverages

Jason Donovan

Princeville

(808) 639-9394

hawaiivolcanic.com

High Brew Coffee

McCall Holbeck

Austin

(512) 853-9696

highbrewcoffee.com

Harvest Soul Organic Juice

74 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

CITY

STATE

New York

(347) 416-0776

h-factor.com

Edison

(888) 206-1451

thinkiam.com

Jennifer Hatfield

Shelburne

(844) 764-7336

iceriversprings.com

Scott Holmes

Los Angeles

(310) 780-0333

immordl.com

Willowbrook

(630) 861-0422

inkostea.com

(708) 825-3531

komodopower.com

Hyedge, Inc I AM PRODUCTS, LLC Ice River Springs IMMORDL, INC.

Craig Fortin

Inko's Tea, LLC Island Tree LLC ITO EN(North America) INC.

Chef Francois Lubin

Bolingbrook

Adam Hertel

Brooklyn

Karma Culture KeVita

Rochester

Oxnard

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE

itoen.com (585) 218-0022

drinkkarma.com kevita.com

KRa Drinks for Athletes, Inc.

Annie Hesser

Washington

Kuantum Brands, LLC

Gerardo Diego

San Diego

(503) 997-8459

drinkelectrolife.com

Kwangdong USA Inc.

Katherine Kneubuehl

Irvine

(201) 962-8622

drinkvita500.com

L.A. Aloe, LLC

drinkkra.com

Manhattan Beach

Lemoncocco

Andrew Baumann

Seattle

(206) 436-8711

drinklemoncocco.com

LIFEAID Beverage Co.

Jordan Shulman

Santa Cruz

(831) 419-5288

lifeaidbevco.com

Jon Hill

Austin

(512) 771-4609

drinklive.com

(855) 542-2832

LIVE Beverages Long Island Ice tea Brand

aloegloe.com

Philip Thomas

Hicksville

Maple Mama Beverages LLC

Joseph Laur

Wendell

maplemamabeverages.com

Marley Beverage Co.

Wes Taylor

Southfield

DrinkMarley.com

Miami Bay Beverage

Doug Christoph

Branford

(203) 453-0090

drinktrimino.com

Mixwell Beverage LLC

Jens Stoelken

Santa Monica

(646) 896-4081

pleasemixwell.com

Hoda Mahmoodzadegan

New York

(917) 331-6575

mollysmilktruck.com

Barry T. Graf

AUSTIN

(888) 793-3883

moonshinesweettea.com

Molly's Milk Truck Beverages Moonshine Sweet Tea

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BEVNET MAGAZINE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION COMPANY

CONTACT NAME

Nadi, LLC

Nina Tickaradze Robert Sipper Tom LeBon Simon Ginsberg

NatureWise New Age Beverage Corporation New Attitude Beverage Corp

CITY

STATE

PHONE NUMBER

WEB SITE

Atlanta

(770) 833-2338

drinknadi.com

Ashland

(914) 850-6067

naturewise.com

Denver

(303) 994-2152

xingtea.com

Los Angeles

(310) 418-5288

bluemonkeydrinks.com

Nothing But Real, LLC Onli Natural Beverage

nothingbutreal.com Kelli Cohen Sender

Tampa

(813) 784-1418

onlinatural.com

Organic Valley

Matthew Provost

La Farge

(608) 625-7755

OrganicValley.coop

Ounce Water

Christina Korkowski

Staten Island

(844) 366-8623

GetOUNCED.com

Atlanta

(877) 265-3611

Peace Tea Beverage Powell & Mahoney

KC Commoss

Salem

(978) 745-4332

powellandmahoney.com

Premier Nutrition Corp.

Tony O'Dowd

Emeryville

(469) 667-5476

powerbar.com

Chris Schaumburg

Newport Beach

(949) 280-8936

purps.com

Purple Life Laboratories LLC Ralph & Charlie's Juice Brand REBBL Red Bull North America RETHINK Brands

Lalit Dhande

Brooklyn

(347) 971-1978

Ralphandcharlies.com

Rachel Hauser

Berkeley

(855) 732-2500

rebbl.co

Erin Mand

Santa Monica

(310) 460-4988

energydrink-us.redbull.com

Kendall Bair

Ellicott City

(888) 317-0612

drinkrethinkwater.com

Revive Kombucha Rocky Mountain Soda Co.

Moose

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Petaluma

(707) 536-1193

revivekombucha.com

Denver

(720) 772-7632

dramapothecary.com

Louisville

(844) 311-6576

rooibeeredtea.com

Mark Cook

Stroudsburg

(570) 234-0022

Courtlyn Smith

Austin

(512) 520-4275

Phoenix

Heather Franckling

Pittsfield

(413) 553-0739

Carly Mitchell

Chester Springs

(717) 799-5565

San Francisco

slingshotfoods.com

Ryne O'Donnell

San Diego

solti.com

Sri Lanka Gold

Sheri Pitigala

Fairfax

(571) 212-9455

srilankagoldcoconut.com

Steaz

Ashley Benson

Doylestown

(215) 321-8330

steaz.com

San Diego

CA NY

(845) 853-5688

sunniva.co

Keith Vest

Winston-Salem

(336) 918-2933

drinkthesunshine.com

Deborah Aiza

Montauk

(631) 668-5681

sweettauk.com

Stephanie Giralmo

Preston

(425) 222-4900

sparklingice.com

Mitchell Raisch

Culver City

(855) 552-4455

drinkjustchill.com

Shade Tree Beverage Co, LLC Shamrock Farms Shire City Herbals Sipp Eco Beverage Co. Slingshot Foods solti

shamrockfarms.net

SOUND Sparkling Tea

Sunshine Beverages, LLC Sweet'tauk Lemonade Talking Rain Beverage Company The Chill Group Inc. The Granny Squibb Company

firecider.com haveasipp.com

soundtea.com

Suja Juice Sunniva Super Coffee

shadetreelemonade.com

Jim DeCicco

sujajuice.com

Robin Squibb

Providence

(917) 769-5798

grannysquibb.com

Heather McDowell

New York

(646) 559-0278

drinkticklewater.com

Top Shelf Beverages

Rachel Zarrrow

San Francisco

Treo Brands LLC

Brian O'Byrne

Harrison

(914) 341-1850

drinktreo.com

Tickle Water

TURVEDA Turmeric

clearlykombucha.com

Dev Chakrabarty

Hemet

(951) 491-9586

drinkturveda.com

Loretta Reilly

Cortland

(330) 638-2200

ultimareplenisher.com

Bill Sipper

New York

(201) 962-8622

drinkverday.com

VITA-V Energy LLC

John Golat

Glendale Heights

(630) 999-8961

vitav.com

VUKA Natural Energy Drinks

Gavin Linde

San Diego

(858) 369-5804

vuka.com

Ultima Health Products, Inc Verday Chlorophyll Water

Water Works Drinks

Ashil Vaghela

London

WellWell LLC

Sagan Schultz

New York

Sioma

La Jolla

Sophie Darozhkin

Spring Valley

Whole e Nature Zoganic

76 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

+447884363775

drinkwaterworks.com drinkwellwell.com wonderfueldrink.com

(855) 200-7668

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Promo Parade Promotions, events & specials for the industry

Moonshine Sweet Tea Kicks Off Sponsorship Make-A-Wish Foundation Moonshine Sweet Tea, makers of freshbrewed Texas sweet tea, kicked off its nationwide sponsorship of Make-A-Wish at a special launch party. The event was held at the Broken Spoke Saloon, in Austin, Texas. Ray Benson, frontman of Grammy Award Winners Asleep at the Wheel, and inspiring “wish kids” and their families from the Make-A-Wish

Central & South Texas chapter were among the special guests invited to celebrate the charitable partnership which will bring hope, strength and joy to kids with life-threatening medical conditions across the country. Moonshine Sweet Tea is now available in stores and restaurants in more than 25 states. The company’s growing presence

nationwide prompted it to take on a charitable partner that believes in granting life-changing wishes for seriously ill children. Moonshine Sweet Tea is launching its initiative alongside MakeA-Wish immediately. The company will share additional details in the coming weeks, as well as the inspiring stories of the kids they have the great joy to impact.

“The Big Man of Jim Beam” Recounts Life and Legacy of Bourbon Legend, Booker Noe Booker Noe, sixth generation Beam Master Distiller and Jim Beam’s grandson, has been described in many ways: Legendary bourbon distiller. Larger-than-life innovator. Raconteur. American Original. In the newly released and eagerly awaited biography “The Big Man of Jim Beam”, Noe comes to life as all of these characters – and more. The book provides bourbon enthusiasts a clear-eyed look at one of the industry’s most influential figures as the celebration of National Bourbon Heritage Month draws to a close. Written by award-winning author Jim Kokoris, a close friend of Booker Noe and the Beam family, the book chronicles Booker’s life from his boyhood in small

town Kentucky through to his rise to bourbon prominence. An illustrative account of his 40-year reign as master distiller of the world’s number one bourbon, Jim Beam Bourbon, “The Big Man of Jim Beam” carefully reconstructs Booker’s groundbreaking creation of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection, including Booker’s Bourbon, Knob Creek Bourbon, Basil Hayden’s Bourbon and Baker’s Bourbon, which changed the bourbon industry. In addition, the history of his family’s seven generations of distilling is also recounted. Offering never-before told stories, historical footnotes, and cocktail and cooking recipes, this book is an entertaining – yet accurate – account of Noe’s colorful life.

78 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

A weekly podcast that explores current trends and news from the food and beverage industries. Tune in to discussions with the BevNET Team as well as interviews with founders, industry experts, and other interesting people.

bevnet.com/podcast

Promo Parade

Sparkling Ice Teams with DreamWorks Animation’s “TROLLS” Movie

Pyramid Breweries Commemorates the Portland Trail Blazers 1977 NBA Title with Release of Championship Lager Pyramid Breweries has launched its 1977 Lager in commemoration of the Portland Trail Blazer’s 1977 title run. As the third edition of the brew partnership with the Trail Blazers, raising a pint with this distinctly Portland beer celebrates the 40th anniversary of the team’s victorious season. Pyramid Head Brewer Ryan Pappe used iconic numbers from that team and the 1977 season to help guide the creation of the unique recipe. In determining color of the lager, he used 7 SRM for winning the championship in their seventh year as a team. Pappe also chose 32 IBUs as that was the number worn by NBA Finals MVP, Bill Walton. Finally, the five malts included in the recipe – 2-Row Pale Barley, Goldpils Vienna, Munich 20, Wheat, and Carapils – represent Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Dave Twardzik, Bob Gross, and Larry Steele running Dr. Jack Ramsey’s offense.

Tequila Avión Sponsors “Rich Friend” Podcast Tequila Avión recently announced its sponsorship of Rich Friend: The Elevated Conversation, a weekly podcast with culture shapers Mark Anthony Green and Matthew Trammell. Focusing on current affairs, lifestyle, music, art, fashion & culture, the podcast hosts an informed discussion as yet unexplored by other programs of its nature. Produced by Loud Speakers Network, the first epi-

sode featured Greg Yuna, renowned New York jeweler and designer prominently known as Mr. Flawless. Mark Anthony Green is a central figure of fashion and artistic exploration as editor for a leading men’s publication. Green doubles as a visual artist and critic, bringing that polymath sensibility to Rich Friend. Brooklyn native and music guru Matthew Trammell offers his own distinctive point of view to the weekly show, informed by an impassioned finger on the pulse of music and nightlife culture constantly in flux. The hosts’ dynamic – opinionated, enthusiastic and obsessively in the know – stands out as the program’s signature calling card.

80 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Talking Rain Beverage Company, the maker of Sparkling Ice flavored sparkling waters, collaborated with DreamWorks Animation in support of the release of the film “TROLLS.” Leading up to the film’s premiere in November, Sparkling Ice kicked off its “UnconTROLLable Flavor” campaign, which features a variety of elements including a major sweepstakes, limited-edition product packaging, advertising and in-store marketing support, field marketing, and a shopper rewards program that offers over 3,000 prizes throughout the three-month program. Sparkling Ice also launched its “UnconTROLLable Rewards” program, where purchases of Sparkling Ice products earn consumers movie-related rewards as part of the collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. The program will provide shoppers in-stores via unique point-ofsale materials that allow consumers to interact with the TROLLS characters. Prizes include movie tickets, concession cash, music downloads, branded swag and more. Sparkling Ice also introduced a series of TROLLS fridge packs including limitededition “coloring cans.” Specially designed to allow kids to color directly on the packaging, the Color-the-Can packs include 8 oz. cans featuring popularTROLLS characters awaiting their vibrant colors. Fans can snap and share photos of their colorful creations online at the Sparkling Ice Facebook page, or by using the hashtag #UnconTROLLableFlavor.

Promo Parade

Johnnie Walker Announces Keep Walking America Campaign, Celebrating Cultural Progress And Diversity In America "This Land Is Your Land," the iconic song and rallying cry for American unification penned by Woodie Guthrie, is at the heart of Johnnie Walker's new Keep Walking America campaign, a collection of stories reflecting the countless achievements, unwavering optimism and tireless progression of the great people who call America home. The new 360 marketing campaign celebrates the cultural progress and diversity that represents the fabric of America today. The lyrics of "This Land Is Your Land," read in both English and Spanish, serve as the campaign's anthem. The meaning behind the lyrics powerfully communicate the core message that America has always been

and should always remain an inclusive nation, built on values that celebrate and reward people from all colors and creeds. The film was shot over two weeks and features real storylines of progress from Los Angeles, Santa Fe, Montana, New Orleans, Baltimore, New York and Washington D.C. The message of Keep Walking America is supported by a variety of initiatives on a national and global level, each calling for a united, more open-minded society that can be a catalyst for progress and positive change. The brand recently traveled to Brownsville, Texas, a U.S.-Mexico border town, with celebrated actor, director and activist Wilmer Valderrama, to spotlight the

rich community of cross-cultural Americans living in proximity to the border and to hear their personal stories of progress. This spirit of possibility and commitment to progress will inform all Johnnie Walker brand activity, including cocktail strategy and how we engage with the bar community and those who enjoy its whisky. Flavors of America, a new cocktail program, highlights the stories and cross-cultural backgrounds of the American bartending community. The program will feature modern cocktail recipes inspired by the holidays, traditions and authentic cultural flavors that have influenced the diverse group of bartenders involved in the program.

Oskar Blues Brewery Sponsors Pink Boots Society Tour to Germany The craft beer-in-a-can pioneers’ do-goodery went international in sponsoring the Pink Boots Society’s (PBS) Cultural Emersion Tour to Gemütlichkeit, Germany, the Heart of Bavaria for the Beer, Bratwurst and Beyond Tour. Sponsorships from Oskar Blues, Boston Beer Company and Sierra Nevada, among others, allowed 10 women to receive full scholarships for the program and provide them with invaluable opportunities to further their education within the craft beer industry. 82 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2016 BEVNET MAGAZINE

Pink Boots Society is an international nonprofit that works to inspire, encourage, educate and help women succeed in the craft beer industry. This insider’s tour begins in Frankfurt, and winds through idyllic Bavaria and Franconia with stops along the way at small family-owned breweries, established breweries, some “radical” breweries, hops farms, and many other places of interest to beer lovers, especially those with an interest in southern German beer culture beyond Oktoberfest.